In My Head
by SashaFeirce12.0
Summary: A series of unfortunate events, basically. But see how it goes on through their heads and go through their lives as they try to overcome those problems. FIFTEENTH CHAPPIE UP!
1. Chapter 1

**Okay. So I had this uploaded before, but because of a certain reviewer, I deleted it. But then I got my head on straight thanks to **Music and Feathers **and my good friend **Team Seth. Leah and Jake**. **

**As of now, I don't care what people write. I'm going to keep on writing because I have way more fans than all those haters will ever have. So here's to **_**you **_Wolfy**, and you're crappy attitude. I don't care anymore. You can't read my stories? Fine. I won't read yours...If I knew what they were. And really? You're **_**sorry**_**? If you were so sorry, you wouldn't have written anything! Who cares? It's my story and NOT yours. Okay? Okay. And, really, if you had so much to say, why would you put it somewhere where the whole WORLD can see it? That's screwed up. **

**This is to all the haters on everyone's stories: unless they want it, don't tell them 'your story sucks' or 'you're a terrible writer' because that just ruins their confidence. I mean, really. Don't come telling someone something that YOU wouldn't want to hear. And I guaran**_**tee **_**that you wouldn't want to hear it yourselves. **

**So who else hates my stories? Anyone? Really? Nobody? Oh, well. If you're done hating, I'd like to get on with my life and my love for writing.**

**~SashaFierce12.0**

Chapter One

Jacob's P.o.V.

I stared at the closed casket quietly, still trying to make some kind of sense of what happened.

She...She was there. In there. Gone?

Yeah, dumbass. She was _gone_.

But...I'd done everything I could for her.

_"Don't let go of me! Don't let go!"_

She...I had her.

_"I got you, Jakey! It'll be okay. I got you!"_

And then...

_"Get out! Go! Just leave me, I'll be fine!" _

_ "But you'll-"_

_ "Do what I say and don't ask questions!" She kissed my cheek and I escaped through the open window. I reached for her hand and was so close...But the car fell. A cry caught in my throat. I couldn't scream. I couldn't yell. I couldn't move. I sat there and watched as the giant piece of metal rolled down the hill, finally coming to a stop at the bottom. But instead of the little Volkswagen that I knew, it looked more like something you'd find at a dump. _

_ It happened in slow motion. I yelled for her, but couldn't hear my own voice. I ran to her, but it seemed like I couldn't get there fast enough. I tripped a few times, getting scratched up some. But I didn't care. It's not like they wouldn't heal. _

_ The car was totaled. Not really caring, I repeated her name over and over again. I shouted her name some more, but my voice was still not reaching my ears. Using all my wolf strength, I tore the top off the car. _

_ She laid there. Her eyes stared up at me blankly. There was no emotion in them. No love. Nothing. There was a big gash down the side of her face and blood up and down the right side of her body. I choked and staggered back, my voice finally finding my ears. _

_ "Mom."_

Dad ran his hand down her casket once before wheeling himself back. My sisters sighed and Rebecca followed him out of the church. Rachael sat down next to me and gripped my hand with her right, using her left to massage my white knuckles. I stared down at my clenched fist, noticing how it quivered. Then I felt something drop off the end of my nose. It landed on my slacks then faded away. My breathing hitched and my eyes widened.

Werewolves _don't _cry.

I pried Rachel off of my arm and stood up, walking out of the church. I couldn't deal with this. I couldn't be here. It only increased the amount of guilt and regret I felt.

Everyone had gone to the gravesite but me. I couldn't. I sat on the church steps and stared at the small crack in the sidewalk. I seemed to be there forever before I noticed someone sit down beside me. My eyes broke free from their spot and looked at her.

"Hi," she said. I didn't say anything. We sat in silence for a while before she grabbed my hand, using the both of hers to squeeze it tightly. I looked into her eyes and she smiled at me. She brushed away a lock of her ebony hair. "I'm _really_, truly sorry about your mom," she whispered, her smile fading away. I turned away from her and returned my gaze to the break in the pavement. I moved my hand away from hers.

She couldn't be sorry. Sure, she knew what it felt like, but she hated me. How can she have pity for someone she hated?

"Jacob, I really am," Leah placed a hand on my shoulder. I moved it away. I prepared myself for her snide commentary and a slap to the arm, but it never came. She just sighed and stood, walking away. I watched her feet as they got closer and closer to the small crack.

_Don't step on a crack_...

She stepped on it and continued on her way.

_Break your mother's back_.

Like a small kid still believing in the old superstition, I waited for a woman's scream in agony. It never came.

Hm. Must only apply to people who actually have mothers.

00000000000000000000000

Leah's P.o.V.

I picked slowly at the chicken and rice that Emily had made. The rest of the Pack were devouring it like it was their last meal, except Jacob, who was sitting quietly at the couch and staring at the blank TV screen.

Emily sat down next to me and I glanced at her with a small smile.

"Afraid I poisoned your food or something? You've barely eaten," she joked. I smiled more before shaking my head.

"No..." I looked back at Jacob.

"Oh." Emily sucked in a breath and patted my hand. We weren't entirely the kind of friends we used to be. More like girls. Yeah. Girls. We talked and laughed together, but weren't as close as before. Sometimes I wish we were, but that idea I kept to myself. I could never be as close to her as I was after she got together with Sam. Even if she was my cousin.

"He'll be fine," she reassured me quietly.

"He doesn't _look _fine," I retorted. Emily sighed and got up, heading back to the kitchen.

"So, Leah. When'd you suddenly get all interested in Jake?" Paul asked, his mouth full of food. I lifted my top lip in disgust with a scoff.

"_Chew and swallow_ before you talk, stupid," I said. I lowered my voice. "Besides, I'm not _interested _in him. He just looks so..." I trailed off when he stood up and walked past all of us, going out the back patio door. He closed it behind him and I watched him disappear, a little disappointed that he'd left.

Wait, wait, wait. _Moi_? _Disappointed_? ...At Jacob _Black _leaving Emily's house? Oh-ho-ho _hell no_.

"She totally has a thing for him," Jared said. He burped to finish his statement and the guys all cheered and clapped. My top lip came up even more and I rolled my eyes. "_Oh_! Jared Thail does it _again_! Yeah!" Kim, his imprint, hit his shoulder and he smiled sheepishly at her.

"Leah, if you keep it up, your face might get stuck like that," Seth said. I pretended to be offended but smiled at my baby brother. He was really the only one that could insult me without getting yelled at and/or hit. He grinned back at me before taking another bite of chicken.

"How does he do that?" Quil asked.

"How does who do what?" Seth asked, his mouth full of chicken.

"How do _you _make her smile like that?"

"Dunno. Guess it's just one of my many talents," my brother answered, waggling his eyebrows. I laughed a bit and shook my head.

"Hey, don't just think we can change the subject," Embry pointed at me and I went back to scowling.

"Can we _not _talk about this? I'm right _here _you know!" Seth waved his hand around. "I don't want to sit through a conversation about my sister and Jake..." He shuddered. "That'd be _so _freaky."

"You better get used to it, Kid. 'Cause someday, Jacob might be your _brother-in-law_," Paul said. He nodded at my brother who pretended to puke.

"Eww..." I shuddered, too.

"Oh, don't act like you don't _love it_," Kim smiled slyly at me and winked. I flashed my eyes at her. She was the only one that I had trusted with the secret of my teeny _tiny _crush on Jacob Black.

Yeah. I said it. I said it. I have a schoolgirl crush on Jake.

Lord, just take me now.

I scowled again, playing off the small exchange of facial expressions. I kicked her leg under the table, but it turned out to be Jared's.

"Dammit! Oww, Kimmy, that _hurts_," he whined.

"What?"

"You kicked me!"

"No I didn't." She glanced at me and I kicked Jared again, smiling smugly at her.

"For real, KC," Jared whined. "When did you get so strong?"

"It's not me, I _swear_!" She looked at me again. "Okay! Okay, I shouldn't have said anything. Are you _happy _now?" she looked at me and crossed her arms. I crossed my own and smiled smugly again.

"Yeah, a little bit." She flicked me off and I giggled.

"Ooh, Kimmy. Keep it clean," Quil joked. She laughed and the conversation picked up again. Thankfully, it wasn't about me or Jacob.

I picked at my food some more, finding myself thinking about him. I realized that I wanted to know where he was, no matter how hard I tried to shake the thought off. He had looked so sad, and he hadn't wanted my comfort last week at the funeral. I was just trying to show my support. I knew what it felt like to lose a parent.

I glanced at Seth. He looked so much like Daddy. Especially when he smiled.

"Leah? You done tenderizing your meat?" Embry raised an eyebrow and smirked. My fork stood poised over my chicken, and I realized that I had ripped it to shreds.

"Oh, uh..." I put down my fork and slid my plate to the middle of the table. "Free food. Don't kill each other." Leaving them to try and distribute the food to themselves, I got up and left the house. Out the back patio; the same way that he'd gone.

I followed his scent, walking deep into the forest. I picked up my pace because it had started to rain. I weaved in and out of trees and through clearings. Finally, the scent got a little stronger and I could smell the faint metallic scent of blood. Blood?

I broke off into a run. Either it was a leech or Jacob was being downright stupid. In this case, I hoped it wasn't the latter. I stopped when I saw him sitting on an old tree stump.

"Jacob?" I called. I walked a little closer.

"Go a_way_, Leah," he muttered. I crossed my arms.

"No."

"Yes! _Go_!"

"I'm not leaving this spot, Jacob," I said, stamping my foot for emphasis. He turned to me and stared.

"Fine. Don't move. What do _you _want?"

"I'm...Worried about you. You barely eat or do anything. I'm actually starting to miss you." I clapped my hands to my mouth after I'd said it. Jacob knitted his brows together and I removed my hands with a sigh. "It's just...Weird. It's quiet. Usually, the house is always filled with our epic arguments. Now...It feels kind of empty." I rolled my eyes to the ground, crossing my arms.

"Sorry, I guess. There's just...A lot going on," Jacob answered. I looked up at him, noticing that he rubbed the top of his head and growled.

"Do you have a headache? I heard Tylenol works amazing." That was my attempt at a joke to try and lighten the mood. He didn't laugh. No chuckles. Not even a smile.

"Yeah. Whatever. I'm out," he murmured. He walked past me and headed in the direction of his house. I sighed again and went to my own.

There was something more wrong with him other than the fact that he'd just lost his mother to one of the most tragic accidents in the history of tragic accidents. Something...More. I didn't know what, but the thought was scaring me a little.

Me? Scared?

Psh. Yeah. Right.

Jacob's P.o.V.

_Why _Sam insists that I come over for a Pack meeting will never cease to amaze me. I didn't want to go, but Dad's making me.

Can't disobey the Chief of La Push.

It's just...I wanted to be alone.

_But you're not. I'm here, too_.

Shut. Up.

There was this stupid, creepy voice nagging at me and talking to me in the back of my head. I felt crazy, because sometimes I found myself talking back to it.

_That's the point_.

"What'd I tell you?" I whispered hoarsely.

"What'd you tell who?" Seth looked at me and grinned.

"Huh? Oh, nothing. Just...Never mind."

_Yeah. Shut up, Jacob._

I resisted the urge to growl.

"Hey, Jake, I made muffins! You want one?" Emily held some out to me.

_Good. Take one. Then you can choke yourself with it._

What? Shut _up_! I shook my head.

"No. It's okay, Em." I did my best to smile at her and she sighed and walked away. The guys all stole glances at me and I sighed gruffly. I stood up and headed to the bathroom.

Closing the door behind me, I stared at my half dead reflection in the mirror. I splashed water into my face.

_Drown yourself. Go on. You can do it._

No, I won't.

_Yes. You will. It's _easy_. _

I started plugging up the sink.

_See? That's it..._

I stopped. I'm not going to die. Get out of my head! Please! I can't take this anymore? This stupid voice had been in my head ever since the accident. It had overstayed its welcome. Now. _Go_!

_I'm not going anywhere, Jacob._

Who _are _you?

_You know who I am._

No I don't.

_Shall I refresh your memory? Jakey...?_

"M-mom?" I stared into the mirror at her beautiful face.

_Yes, my baby boy. Look at that water. It's filled up. Now it's overflowing. All you have to do is hold your head under there. Easy. Then we'll be together._

"No. She wouldn't want this."

_Don't you mean _I _wouldn't want this? Me?_

"No, because you're not my mom."

_Yes, I am. Don't you-_

"Shut up."

_You don't tell me what to do! _I _tell you what to do! Now go under!_

"Shut _up_."

_Do it! Do it! Go, Jacob! Hold your head under that water and _die_!_

"SHUT UP!" I finally yelled. My hands flew up to my head and I pressed hard on it as if it'd explode at any second. "Shut up, shut up, shut up, shut _up_!" I repeated over and over again. I fell crouched down onto the wet floor and sat there with my hands over my head for a while. "Shut up," I was still whispering. The voice was like an echo in my head that never seemed to end.

_Hold your head under that water and _die_! _It repeated.

"Shut up," I whimpered. I wasn't going to die. Mom wouldn't have wanted that.

I didn't move, even when there was a quiet knock on the door. The water was still running and now the floor was soaked. The bottoms of my jeans started getting wet but I didn't care.

"Jake...?" Seth asked slowly. "Are you okay?" I didn't answer. The echo was still going off like I was a giant, cavernous mountain. It never seemed to stop.

"Shut up. Please?" I whimpered again. I pressed even harder on my head. The door banged open but I still didn't move.

"Uhh...Nice pool party you got goin' on in here," Embry joked. He turned off the water, slipping a little on the floor. "Dude, are you okay?"

"Shut up," I whispered.

"What?"

I growled and buried my head deeper into my body. The echo was getting louder and it didn't stop. Now it was just the last word and it was like an annoying bell chime.

_Die! _

"_Shut up_," I whimpered again. I felt tears prick at the corners of my eyes but I willed them to stay away.

"Who are you talking to?"

_Die!_

The chimes didn't stop, and it started to ring in my ears, making me oblivious to the sounds around me. I looked up and saw Embry yelling my name, but only his mouth was moving. There was no sound coming out. He shook me and that's when things moved to slow motion. Sam ran in and he skidded across the floor before landing beside me. He mouthed my name, too.

The only word I heard was _die_. But even that simple little word blurred together into a series of bells in my ears. My head started to pound and I felt dizzy. Now the room was moving. I felt myself falling to the side but someone caught me. They picked me back up. Sam had one of his hands wrapped around my face and he was shaking it, and he seemed to be yelling at me.

Suddenly it was hard to breathe. I felt like there was an elephant sitting on my chest and it was getting a real kick out of seeing me struggle for air. Sam shook me some more and his mouth continued moving. I felt myself reach up and push him away, and saw my arm in my view. There were about three of them and they all moved around. The whole room was moving. I stood, still gasping for air, and then slipped again.

I tried to say something, but nothing came out. Well, I don't think anything did. If I had said something, I didn't hear it. The ringing only got louder and the room moved more. But the ringing was now joined by my pounding blood vessels in my ears. It didn't seem to stop.

_Bump. Bump-bump. Bump._

_ BRINNNNGGGG! BRINNNNNGGG! _

Stop! Just _stop_!

And it did.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Jacob's P.o.V.

_Tick. Cha-tick. Tick. Cha-tick._

"...Why am I here?"

"Because-"

"No. I know _why_. I want to know why am I _here_?"

This place reeked of leeches and too-sweet flowers and jelly. It was sickening.

"Your alpha came to me for help. So I'm helping him."

"The Almighty Sam needing _help_? Highly unlikely."

"He did."

"I still don't believe you."

_Tick. Cha-tick. Tick. Cha-tick._

"How long am I in here?"

"Depends."

"What'd I do? I'm a good person. I make decent grades in school...And I've probably only lied _once _in my lifetime." Carlisle stared at me. "Okay. Twenty-seven, but who's counting?" He continued to stare at me. "Can I leave now?"

"Not yet. We need to talk."

"But we're already talking."

"I know...Never mind. Okay. Do you remember what happened last night?"

"...A little, I guess. All I remember is an elephant, a telephone...And Embry." I nodded, completely satisfied with myself.

"An...Elephant?"

"Yeah. It was sitting on my chest and I couldn't breathe. Thought it was funny." I slumped in my chair and crossed my arms. "Damn elephant."

"Anything else?" I didn't answer him.

"Why am I here?" I asked again.

"Jacob...Didn't you just ask this?"

"Dunno. But I asked the question first, Leech. Answer _me_. Hurry up, Mom's probably waiting." He hesitated before answering.

"This is the fifth time you've asked me that question. You keep cutting me off before I can even finish the answer."

"So? Besides, I can cut you off whenever I want to." The two of us stared each other down and I huffed out a long, hard breath. "Can I leave now?"

"Jacob, no."

"You're holding me hostage here." I looked around the windowless room and stood up. I tapped on the walls; solid. I walked to the locked door and tugged on it. "Let me out of here! I'm being oppressed!"

"Jacob-"

"LET ME OUT!" I turned to the leech. "I'll break down this door if I have to."

"Jacob-" He stood up as I started tugging on the door harder. "Jacob!" I kicked it and it opened, swinging limply from its hinges.

Oh, sweet fresh air.

I took a step out of the room and the doctor vamp was in front of me in a second.

"You need to stay here. You're unstable. There's no telling what you can do."

"_I'll _tell you what I can do. I'm running." I moved quickly around him and took off at a sprint, jumping up and phasing out of my clothes. I started running towards home and then felt a shiver run down my spine as someone phased.

_"Jake?" _asked Seth. _"They let you out?" _

_ "No. I let myself out. Why'd they lock me in a room in the first place? I mean..." _I ran to the forest around my house, sniffing around for the extra stash of clothes that I had hidden by an oak tree. _"It's stupid, y'know?" _

_ "Jake-"_

_ "Sorry, Kid. I gotta' get home. Mom's probably real pissed with me." _

_ "Jake-" _He tried to tell me something but I phased back, pulling on my basketball shorts. I jogged into the house.

"You will not _believe _what happened to me. So-" I walked into the house and was bombarded with Rachel and Rebecca. They hugged me as tight as they could and Dad rubbed his face. "Yeah. Missed you, too, guys. So that leech doctor was keeping me in this room with no windows. I asked him to let me out, but he wouldn't. So I let myself out. You think he's mad?" I smirked and moved out of the twins' grasps. Dad looked up.

"You don't know why you were in there? You don't remember?" I shrugged, heading to the kitchen.

"I probably got sick last night. Weird, huh?" I shook my head, thinking about the elephant and the telephone and Embry. That's a pretty jacked up mix. There were boxes on the dining room table and I frowned. "What's all this?"

"Oh, nothing." Rachel ran and closed the box I was opening. I opened it again and pulled out the new dress I had bought Mom.

"Hey, are we moving, or something? I just got her this dress. She hasn't even worn it yet." I looked around. "Where _is _Mom, anyway? Did she go out with Sue?" I looked at my sisters, who exchanged sorrowful and confused looks. Dad sighed himself and wheeled himself down the hallway.

"We're not moving..." Rebecca started.

"Oh. Then why's this all packed up then?"

"Jake-"

"I'm just going to go put this back in the room for her. I don't think that she'll be happy if she sees all her things squished into boxes." I picked up the box and returned it to Mom and Dad's bed, making a note to myself to hang the clothes back up. I walked back to the main room after changing into some jeans and a t-shirt. "Tell Mom I'll see her when I get back. I gotta' head to Sam's. Bye, guys." I kissed my sisters' cheeks and left.

Mom's Volkswagen was gone, so I guessed that she took that with her, or something.

As I walked down the path towards Sam's, I saw Leah. She was washing her car, and _damn_, she looked so sexy. Her shorts were just past her ass and she was wearing a spaghetti strap tank top; the wet fabric clung to her body. It was then that I noticed her mile long legs and the way they were shaped. My eyes wandered back up to her chest, pausing a bit, then up to her gorgeous face. Her short hair was damp and fell into her eyes, making her look sexily mysterious.

Leah turned to bend down and put more water onto her sponge. I kept in the wolfish growl that threatened to escape my lips. She stood back up and noticed me. She knitted her eyebrows together.

"He really let you out?" I didn't answer.

What was happening to me? Leah _hates _me and I hate her. Now..._Now_...

"Jacob?" She walked closer to me, running her wet hands through her hair. "Jake?"

"Hey," I managed to say, looking down.

"Where're you going ?" she asked, bouncing on the balls of her feet.

"Sam's probably?"

I didn't miss the small smile that played on her lips. "After what you did last night? Don't expect to be welcomed with open arms, Black."

"What happened last night? Did I get sick, or something?" Leah frowned.

"What...?"

"I woke up last night against a _wall_, Leah. So tell me what happened. If this is some kind of a sick joke, tell me _now_."

"What do you mean?" She crossed her arms. "Everyone was worried about you because you freaking passed out in a pool of water so Sam called Carlisle - _Carlisle_, Black - and he took you in. Said something about 'brain trauma.'" She shrugged and frowned at me. "That enough for you?"

"No. Is my mom here? Her car wasn't in the driveway." Leah frowned harder.

"Jake...Sarah's dead." I stopped breathing. "You knew that...You _know _that. You were there."

"No I wasn't...She's not. I remember-" I started shaking, my breathing coming out in loud, hard pants. "She was...She was making _pancakes_. And...And then-"

"Jacob." Leah gripped my arm with her wet fingers. She dug her nails into my skin. I shook my head once. Twice. Three times.

"She's not. How could you even _think _that?"

"Because-"

"You're such a bitch, Leah. Just because Sam broke up with you for your cousin doesn't mean you can ruin everyone else's lives. She's not dead." Leah's bottom lip quivered for a second and then she let go of me, pushing me away. Her face was cold and hard.

"Don't believe me? Fine. You...You _go _to that cemetery. Go. Keep walking all the way to that big weeping willow. Then look under the tree. There's a headstone. You'll see." She crossed her arms and then stamped her foot. "_Go_. Then come back and tell me that you still don't believe me," she hissed. She pointed down the road to La Push Memorial Site. "Go see for yourself!" I backed up, still shivering a little with the tremors from phasing. Then I turned and did as she told me.

I kept walking. To the weeping willow. There was headstone. My steps faltered a bit, but I kept going. When I was a mere foot away from the stone, I fell to my knees and stared at the name.

_Sarah Jennifer Black_

That's...That's her name. Or...It _was_.

Everything made sense now. That leech locked me in a room because I was insane enough to believe that my dead mother was alive.

_"Don't let go of me! Don't let go!" _

Rebecca and Rachel putting her things into boxes. Those weird looks they gave me as I carried it back to the room.

_"I got you, Jakey! It'll be okay! I got you!" _

She was dead.

The stone confirmed it. She was dead.

Then I remembered the crash...And guilt came pouring on me like water from a showerhead. Regret. I should've stayed. She didn't have to. I should've grabbed her. Done _something_.

"...Told you." I didn't have to turn around to know that Leah was standing there.

"I...I should've stayed in the car. I should've..._Grabbed _her. I should've done something," I whispered. I placed my head in my hands. "I can't believe she's dead. Because of me."

_That's right. Because of _you_. _

That voice. Holy crap, it's back.

I felt a hand on my shoulder and Leah appeared at my side. I didn't look at her. The voice in my head was telling me not to.

"Jake...It's not your fault. She stayed behind because she loved you."

"And it didn't matter that I loved her?"

"At that moment, she loved you more than anything. So much that she wanted you to keep your life."

"But I feel so...Guilty."

"I know. I've been there." The two of us were silent for a moment and I felt a few tears slide down my cheeks. Leah gripped my hand and squeezed it. I looked at her. "Listen, Jake." She swallowed. "I hate you. So much it hurts sometimes. But right now I'm realizing that you need me. No matter how much I hate you or you hate me." She squeezed my hand tighter. "We both have something together. Something in common. We're stubborn. Hotheaded. Stupid." She frowned. "And we've both lost some people very near and dear to us." I looked away.

"Sure. You might think that I need you, but I still hate you," I whispered.

"No. You just have a...Strong dislike for me." I turned to stare at her, moving my arm away.

"No, I'm pretty sure that I hate you." She frowned at me and I returned the look to her. "But...I've come to realize that _you _need _me_."

"What?"

"Yeah. You need me more than I need you."

"How about this: we both need each other." I rolled my eyes and then wiped them, standing up. I started walking away.

Never again would I come back to this place. It was too much of a reminder of what I'd lost.

"Where are you going?" Leah called after me. She caught up with me, and we fell into perfect step.

"Away. I can't be here anymore."

"What? As in _away_, away?"

"Sure. If that's how you want to put it." She stopped me and I turned around to her. We were back in front of her house and she gestured to her car with her head.

"I've never washed that thing a day in my life. Never drove it, either. I've spent the past five _months _fixing that thing up. Today, I washed it so good, it's gleaming right now. So, I'm going to ask you, _why _do you think I did that?"

"Because..."

"I'm getting out of this hell hole." She smirked at me.

"...You, too?"

"Duh. I can't deal with all this anymore. I need to get out." She grabbed my arm. "Let's run away together. We'll start our own pack." She grinned at me.

"This is something that I need to do alone." I tried to move away but she only held tighter. Her hand was like a vice.

"You said it yourself, Black. I need you. And I know that you need me. We'll go _crazy _if we don't stick together."

"I already have," I answered flatly, thinking about the voice in my head.

"So? We'll go completely insane together. We'll drive until the car has no more gas. Then we'll live in it. Hunt meat in our wolf forms. Scare away old ladies and children." I stared at her, trying to hide my smile.

"You're crazy, Leah Clearwater."

"Only as crazy as you want me to be, Jacob Black." We stared at each other for a little while, and my thoughts on how gorgeous she was shot back. Her big green eyes stared into mine...This was the first time I'd seen how beautiful they actually were.

"You think they'll miss us?" I asked. Her smile grew wider.

"Nope. They got their lovely imprints to keep them company." She let go of me and walked back to her car. "You'll be here at midnight." I backed away from her, slowly to my house.

"Wouldn't miss it for the world."

0000000000000000000000000

Leah's P.o.V.

I moved quietly to my brother's room, making sure to step around the creaky parts of the floor. I opened his door, wincing a little at its loud protest, then moved to his bed.

His room was cluttered with clothes and movie cases and...I don't even want to _know _what the hell I just stepped on. His fish tank glowed and his gold fish swam around aimlessly, the small sea snail poking out of its shell every few seconds. I smiled at it and then sat on the edge of his bed.

He was a cutie, even when he was sleeping. He got his long eyelashes from Mom, no doubt, and the way his mouth was shaped from Daddy.

I ran my fingers through his cropped hair. He opened his eyes a little and stared at me, an exact replica of my face when I was pissed at someone for waking me up. I caressed his cheek and shook my head, shushing him.

"It's okay. Go back to sleep," I whispered. He snuggled more into his pillow, and I couldn't help the smile that graced my face, noticing how cute and babyish he looked right now. Well, he _was _only thirteen. I sighed. "Goodbye, Baby Bro," I whispered. I stood up, heading towards the door.

"Leah?" Seth asked quietly, his voice cracking a little. I turned back.

"Hm?"

"Where are you going?" he asked. I hurried back to his bed and planted a lingering kiss on his cheek, running my hands through his hair again.

"It's okay. Don't worry about me. Keep Mom strong, okay?"

"...Huh?"

"Nothing, Baby Bro. Nothing. Go back to sleep." He closed his eyes again and I waited until he was breathing steadily. He was sleeping. I kissed his cheek again. "I love you." He murmured something inaudible and rolled over. I smiled and left, not turning back.

I grabbed my things and rushed down the stairs, out the door. I looked around then checked my watch.

12:42 a.m.

I frowned, a little disappointed. I threw my things into the back of my car and backed out.

Should've known he wouldn't have the balls to show up.

So much for being crazy together.

Jacob's P.o.V.

I couldn't go. I couldn't leave my family like that. Dad was going through grief, the twins were always crying...

And I was going mentally insane.

But I had to be strong. For all of them.

What went on in my head, would stay in my head. No one needs to know what was happening.

_Good. It'll just be me and you then_.

I sighed and put my head into my hands. I was sitting at the kitchen table, a bowl of unfinished cereal in front of me. I couldn't sleep. I was tired yet I couldn't sleep.

Suddenly, a burst of pain shot through my chest and I growled, gripping the part of the shirt above my heart.

"What the-"

Then I knew it. She was gone. Leah had gone ahead without me. I felt myself crumble and I stared at the half filled cereal bowl. My breathing picked up and I willed myself to stay strong through this.

It was then that I knew. No doubt.

I had imprinted on Leah.

**And...Chapter Two! This story is taking a twist that I never thought would happen...So we'll see where it goes because as of now, I have no clue what I'm doing! XD**

**~SashaFierce12.0**


	3. Chapter 3

**Okay, so in this story, I'm going to make Claire and Quil a couple, because it's easier writing that way. So, yes, Quil imprinted on Claire. Quil's twenty, and Claire's eighteen. Okay? Oh, and this chapter takes place five years after Chapter Two. So...Pretty much the whole Pack is in their twenties, except for Seth, who's eighteen.**

**Oh, and Paul **_**has **_**imprinted on Rachel, just so you know.**

**~SashaFierce12.0**

Chapter Three

_ Travis tickled me under my neck and I giggled uncontrollably, begging him to stop. _

_ "Please! St-op!" I giggled some more. _

_ "What? You want me to keep going? Okay!" He continued tickling me until I finally shoved him away, falling off the bed with a small grunt. I giggled, anyway, falling onto my back. He chuckled and pulled me back on and we laid side by side, looking up at the dingy ceiling. He took my hand into his and massaged the finger that held the one diamond ring. I smiled and turned to him, admiring his pretty blue eyes. I sighed. _

_ "You didn't answer my question, Waters," I said, giving him a sly look. _

_ "What? Oh. Mmm...What was it again?" _

_ "If we had a baby, what would you like it to be?" _

_ "...A girl. So then I could name her Estrella Pearl." _

_ "'Estrella...'? That's 'star' in Spanish." My eyes widened and I sighed dreamily. "'Star Pearl'. Oh, Travis, that's so pretty." He grinned at me, planting a tender kiss on my forehead. _

_ "Why'd you ask that?" _

_ "Mmm..." I bit my lip and looked down, then back up at him. He grinned and laughed, sitting up. _

_ "What? For real, you're not joking?" _

_ "No. I took the test two days ago. We're gonna' be parents, Travis." He pulled me into his arms and held me tightly, planting feathery light kisses on my head and my face and up and down my arms. He sighed, still holding me. I looked around our apartment. _

_ It was a one room place, but big and open. The kitchen was separated from the living and dining room by a counter. Our bed was a few feet away from the couch, a small step leading to it. It had a beautiful view of Boston, and I loved it. _

_ "We're going to get a bigger place. That brick house you always wanted. And a garden in front...With dog." _

_ "Labrador mix," I said, looking up at him. _

_ "Wouldn't have it any other way." He looked down at me and placed a kiss on my lips. He smiled at me. "I love you, Leah."_

00000000000-00000000000

Leah's P.o.V.

"Miss? Is there anyone we can call?" The nice officer glanced at me and I wrapped my arms tighter around my body. "Miss?"

"N-no. I'll be fine. Thank you for your help." I gave him a grim smile and exited the building. I pulled my jacket tighter around me, trying to escape the cold Boston wind. Sighing, I slid into my car and sat, staring out the window. I squeezed my eyes shut and willed the tears to stay back. Opening my eyes again and squeezing the dream catcher for good luck, I started to drive.

Jacob's P.o.V.

"UNO!" Claire yelled, holding up her card. Everyone groaned.

"There's no stopping her now!" Embry groaned. "She'll win." I smirked and waited patiently for my turn. Then I put down a 'Draw Four' card, changing the color to yellow. Claire groaned and the rest of us cheered.

"You're a _live saver_, Jake," Kim patted my hand.

"You sure about that?" I smirked again and held up my single card. "Uno."

"What? That's _not _fair!" Kim whined.

"I play the game as it's written," I shrugged. The Pack, Emily, Rachel, Claire, Kim, and I had all gathered inside for food and socializing. It was supposed to be a bonfire, but it was raining. So we cancelled it. Besides, hanging out at Sam's is more fun than having a sore ass from sitting on a log the whole night.

Seth walked in then, a medium sized box in his hands. He set it down in the middle of the table and everyone groaned and whined about him 'ruining the game.'

"This came in yesterday," he said, ignoring everyone. He opened the box and took out some things. Then he picked up a note and sat down. "'Guys...I know that you probably all hate me right now for disappearing on you. But I want you to know that I'm safe. I just needed some time away from La Push, you know? Spread my wings. So...Yeah. This stuff is for all of you. I made them and hope that you like it. Dream catchers. Hopefully, they'll bring you good luck and good dreams. I labeled them so there're no fights...Even though there probably will be,'" he read. He looked up. "'Leah.'" I felt my heart swell at the mention of her name. My chest ached to be close to her and I clenched my fists, willing the wolf inside of me to _stay _inside of me.

"Leah?" Emily screeched and snatched the note from his hands, scanning over it. "But...This date says it was written in 2007."

"Five years ago? When she left?" Sam knitted his eyebrows together. "Then...Why would she send it now?" Everyone looked around at each other. Seth stood up and reached into the box, pulling out white packages with names on them. "Emily...Sam...Paul...Quil...Claire...Embry." He handed the packages one by one to everybody. "Jared...Kim." He picked up one and ran his fingers across the lettering. His face kind of scrunched up but he shook his head, setting it down next to him. He pulled out another one. He looked at me. "This one's for you, Jacob." I took it from him and stared at her slanted handwriting on the front.

_Jacob_, it spelled out.

I opened it up and noticed more writing on the inside of the package.

_Still wish you were here. We could've done so many crazy things together. -Leah_

I pulled out the elaborately made dream catcher. It was so intricate and beautiful; with beading and feathers...I didn't know that Leah could make something like this.

I gripped it tightly, trying to feel her warmth through it. I missed her. Her snide comments. Her feistiness. Her red hot anger. I missed it all...Though I'd never admit it to anyone. Hell, I haven't even told them about the imprint!

"Wow..." Claire breathed. "These are _beautiful_." She held up hers, the feathers were dark purple and white, and she had beading everywhere.

"Who knew she could make something like _this_?" Paul joked, obviously trying to lighten the mood.

"I know, huh?" Embry chuckled a bit with him. He stared down at his then glanced at Seth. He held his carefully in his hands, running his fingers down the stitching and feathers. "Hey, Kid?" He looked up.

"Huh?"

"Is there anything else in there?"

"Oh..." He stood up and looked into the box. "Actually...Yeah." He pulled out a thick envelope and then opened it. He pulled out some pictures. "Guys, it's her!" He announced. We all crowded around him as he flipped through all of them. They were _all _of her. They were taken carefully, though, so no one had a clue to where she was.

Her faces were either funny or smiling, and they were all in black and white. I recognized her 1979 Mustang in the back; she was sitting on top of it through all the pictures. It was weird. As he flipped through each photo, a little part of her changed. I recognized her hair getting longer. Her face becoming less hard.

The last one left an imprint on my heart. She was so beautiful in this one. Her hair was so long; to the middle of her back in soft waves. On top of her head, sat a little tiara. Her long, beautiful fingers were entwined with the ends of her hair and her eyes were cast down, showing off her beautiful long lashes. I could tell she was sitting on her Mustang - on her knees, I could tell, but she was wearing something different. She had on a strapless, big, poofy fairy dress. It flowed out over the car and I could tell that it was sunny in this one; the dress seemed to shimmer.

On the bottom of this picture, something was written again in her slanted handwriting.

_You'll see me soon. Until then - Leah_

"Does that mean she's coming home...?" Rachel asked after a while. I took the picture from Seth and stared down at it.

_You should've gone_, the voice in my head scolded me.

I'm fine. She's fine...

_You're not 'fine.' I mean, you're talking to a _voice inside your head_, for crying out loud._

Touché.

I looked back at the picture, admiring how young and innocent she looked in this one. But still so beautiful.

"Can I see it?" Kim asked. I nodded and reluctantly handed the picture to her. "Wow, she looks so pretty. Think she's a model, or something? All the pictures look professionally taken."

"Leah's been gone for five years without any direct contact until now to pursue her dream as a _model_?" Jared asked.

"Well...You don't know that!" Kim argued, handing the picture back to Seth. He smiled at her and took it, putting all of the photos back into their envelope.

"I'm willing to keep my mind open and wait a little longer," Emily announced. "She might be coming back, and I, for one, can't wait."

"Me, too," Rachel and Kim answered together.

"You know, I have to admit, I miss her bitchy attitude around here. And the arguments were oh-so-epic," Paul admitted. He shrugged, though, playing it off. Soon, the whole dining room was filled with agreements and what they missed most about Leah.

"Jake?" Rachel looked at me. "What about you? You've been real quiet through all this."

"What...? Oh." I shrugged. "It'd be cool if she came back. Then I wouldn't be stuck with babysitting duty anymore." I smirked at Seth who rolled his eyes. Everyone laughed and I just smiled and shook my head.

What I said wasn't really the whole truth. If she came back, I'd be ecstatic. I wouldn't have to deal with sleepless nights and chest pains every five seconds. She'd be close to me, and I'd be happy...Or try to.

If she came back, she'd be able to keep my head on straight. No more stupid voice. No more thinking about _her_. Leah would be all that I thought about; day and night.

What'd I miss about her? Everything. Her bitchy attitude. She was hardheaded, rude, mean and everything in between. But I loved her for that.

I missed being close enough to her that I could see her green eyes gleam. The way her full lips would part when she'd talk or smile or smirk. Her ever-present frown that I had always thought was kind of cute. If not, very sexy.

I found myself praying when I got home, that she'd come back safely. Soundly. That she'd forgive me for standing her up. I wanted to see her smirk and smile and frown again. Hit me for 'being stupid.' Stamp her foot so that she'd get what she wanted.

"Please, please, please, please, _please_..." I whispered over and over again. I fell asleep with the image of that last picture still on my mind.

_Please let her come home._

Leah's P.o.V.

I had no more gas in the car and only a sixty-seven dollars left from the emergency money that Travis and I kept taped to the top of the refrigerator.

My car jumped and sputtered and then finally stopped off the side of the highway. Other cars zoomed right past and I got out slowly, not wanting to get sick again. I patted my stomach and opened the hood. I sighed and slammed it down.

"Damn car," I muttered, giving it a swift pound with my fist. I turned and looked down the road. I had had only five miles left, and then I'd be in Forks. But, no. My car just _had _to run out of gas.

I _could _walk...

I glanced back at the small suitcase and backpack in the back seat then sighed again.

"Here goes nothing," I muttered to myself. I sniffed and marched to my car door, opening it to get my things out. I took out the dream catcher, putting it safely into the suitcase.

Opening the glove department, I heard a car stop and a door slam. I slowly got up and glanced at the middle aged man standing in front of me.

_Charlie_.

I moved so my hair was in front of my face. I thanked God for sending rain, so it was a perfect excuse to pull my hood on.

"Miss? You have a problem?"

"Uhh...Yeah, yes. I just ran out of gas," I muttered, wrapping my arms around my body. I felt a sudden wave of nausea, but willed my guts to stay inside of my body. After much coaxing, the nausea passed.

"Well I could get you some? Where you headed?"

"F-Forks."

"Well isn't that lucky? I'm headed up there myself. Why don't I hook my towline up to your car and you catch a ride with me? I'll take you to the first gas station they have."

"What? Oh, no. I couldn't do that," I protested.

"Nonsense. It's okay. I'm a cop. I won't do anything to you." I was skeptical, but I knew that I really had to get up there. I sighed.

"Okay," I finally sighed. I'd have to do a good job of keeping my face hidden.

Once we were headed down the road, I kept my eyes trained out the window. The ride was long, quiet, and awkward with only the sounds of old 1930s music playing in the background. I happened to like music from that time. Travis, too. He loved it and he'd sing songs from that era to me until I fell asleep to his less than perfect voice. I didn't mind that it was like that. I thought it was soothing.

"Do...You mind if I turned it up?" I asked.

"Not at all," Charlie answered, turning the dial. _Night and Day _was playing and I hummed silently, softly massaging my belly. Travis sang this to me every day. In the morning, at night...It was his favorite song and I'd sing it with him. He'd always claimed that he loved the sound of my voice.

"You can make your voice sound like anything, Leelah. But I love how you can make it sound like it's from the 1940s. That was the good era of music. When people could actually sing," he'd told me once. "Sing to me some more, love?"

I found myself smiling at that memory and I started to sing silently.

"_So a voice within me keeps repeating you, you, you_..." I sighed here. That was his favorite part. I sighed.

"Your voice is beautiful," Charlie said. He glanced at me and smiled.

"Oh. Thank you." I felt myself blush.

"We're here," he announced a few minutes later. He turned into a gas station and I jumped out, pulling out my wallet. "No. Don't pay me. I already get paid enough." I pulled out fifteen dollars and handed it to him, anyway.

"Take it." I insisted, pushing it into his hands. I closed his fingers over it and watched as he waved and drove off. I started to fill up my tank, using up the last bit of money that I had. When I was done, I hurried to the bathroom and emptied out my stomach.

I felt a little better after that, because now I wasn't holding something back.

I slid into the car and gripped the steering wheel with a big sigh. Finally, I drove out towards La Push.

My stomach started tying up in knots when I saw the 'Welcome to La Push' sign at the front of the neighborhood. Then I felt myself smile.

I'd spent almost two weeks in a car but it had been worth it.

Driving slowly, I passed by all the familiar houses. Then I pulled up in front of mine, staring at it through the window. It was the same. Same fence - only, now it was painted. Same garden, still kept up with and beautiful. Now it held her autumn flowers; acacias, baby's breath, and anemones. I let out a short laugh - anemones were my favorite, and she'd kept them.

Stopping the car, I took a deep breath before stepping out. I walked up to the door, contemplating on whether to knock or just walk in. I opted for the second option and opened the door.

"Uhh...Hi. And who are you, coming into my house like this?" Mom stood up and placed her hands on her hips. I gripped my hood and slowly took it off, looking up at her face. I knitted my eyebrows together.

"Mom?" I whispered. It took her a while to register what had just happened.

"Leah..." she breathed. She fell backwards and my brother was up to catch her in a few seconds. She stood back up, swatting him away. "I'm...I'm _fine_." She ran to me and gripped my shoulders. "Why'd you leave?"

"I had to," I smiled grimly. "Am I grounded?"

"Yes! Forever until I forgive you!" Mom laughed and hugged me. "But I already have. I'm so happy you're here, Baby." I squeezed my eyes shut at the word 'baby', knowing that I'd have to tell her soon. She pulled away and moved my hair over my shoulders, smoothing down the top, and then caressing my face with her warm hand. "My baby." I smiled and closed tired eyes, leaning into her hand. Then I opened them, looking at Seth and Kim. "Come sit down! Sit down, Leah. We were just about to eat."

"It's okay. I'm...Not that hungry."

"But you look so _thin_," Mom said.

"It's okay, Mom." I looked back to everyone else and smiled a little. My bitchy side was gone, after I met Travis. He had softened me. But I tended to stay reserved nowadays. Not really letting anyone in. But I had had him, and he had been all I needed. I loved him.

"Hi," I looked down with a blush. Kim was at my side, hugging me.

"Oh, my gosh, I'm so excited right now!" she exclaimed. "You're _back_!"

I turned and saw Seth. We looked away from each other, then at each other again. I smiled and cocked my head. "You're huge," I told him.

"That tends to happen over five years."

"Yeah. I guess it does." I stood and he stood. "Damn it, now you're taller than me." He grinned. "C'mere, Baby Bro." I hugged him as tight as I could and he hugged me back. I felt tears spring to my eyes but blinked them back.

Damn hormones.

I pulled away before I started to break down. I turned and came face to face with Jacob.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter Four

Jacob's P.o.V.

"Leah," I breathed.

"Hi, Jake." She was so beautiful. The same. Only better.

She held out her hand and I shook it.

"Hm. Firm." She let go and moved to sit down, me sitting at the couch across from her. She sighed and smiled, looking around at everybody.

"So...You're back," Seth said, blowing out a breath. Leah nodded and tensed even more. "Why? It seemed like you'd stay away forever."

"I...Have my reasons," she whispered. She wrapped her arms around her body.

"Care to share?" Seth smirked, sitting down next to her.

"Umm..." her voice broke and everyone looked at each other before looking back at her. She moved her head so that she could gaze at her mother. "Mom." She knitted her eyebrows together and her eyes glossed over. "I..." She looked at all of us and stopped at me, moving her eyes away after a few seconds. I wanted to run to her. To wipe her tears away. But I didn't. I played off my worry with a blank stare, still ignoring the voice in my head to yell at her to 'shut up.'

"Mom," she continued. She sniffed and closed her eyes. "I...I'm..." Her voice rose a little. "P-pregnant." My heart stopped and it was so quiet, you could hear a pin drop. Sue leaned forward and Seth started to shake. Leah wrapped her arms tighter around her body and leaned forward so that her head was on her knees. She shook with sobs.

"I'm going to _kill _the bastard that did this to you," Seth growled. Leah sat up again and new tears shot to her eyes, her hand flying to her mouth. I noticed the little ring on it and I started to shake myself. She didn't say anything, but shook her head vigorously.

"Now..." She shook and knitted her eyebrows together again. "_Now _he's gone. And he'll never meet the beautiful kid that he helped make." She shook her head. "I'm sorry if it seems like I'm putting this all on you right now, I just...Thought you should know. I'll...I'll go find some place for my own. You can be mad at me all you want. Call me stupid and kick me out. I don't care. I'll take it." She looked down and crossed her arms.

I'd never seen Leah like this. She looked so fragile and vulnerable; especially in the state she was in.

Everyone stared at Leah, even Jared, who looked sad for her.

"I better start looking. I'll be seeing you." Sue shot up and grabbed her daughter's hand, pulling her back.

"No you won't. You're staying _here_, Leah. You hear me?" Sue shook her daughter's shoulders. "I don't care if that baby cries until everyone's ears start bleeding. You're staying."

"Y-yes, ma'am," Leah whispered. "But-"

"There will be no 'buts'. What I said is final." Leah latched herself onto her mom and started crying again. She kissed the top of her daughter's head. Leah pulled away and sniffed, wiping her eyes. She let out another shaky breath.

"Thank you, Mom."

"I love you, Leah." Sue hugged her again and Leah hesitated before hugging her back.

"I...Love you, too, Mom."

"I needed something to do with that extra room," Sue said, gesturing down the hall. Leah laughed a bit and sniffed. "I'm going to get you the best doctor, okay? Everything for my grandbaby."

"Mom..." Leah rolled her eyes and sniffed again. "You still have any open spots at your diner?"

"Yes, but-"

"I'm not going to sit here and not work," Leah said.

"Fine," Sue finally agreed. The two hugged again. Longer this time.

"It's so good to be home," Leah sighed a little while later. "Did you guys get my package?" she asked, turning to sit down. Seth nodded.

"They were gorgeous, Leah," Kim said. She gave her a thumbs up.

"Thanks. Travis and I made them," she answered. She toyed with the ring on her finger, then breathed slowly in and out, closing her eyes for a second. Her hand flew to her mouth and she shook her head.

"Are you okay?" Seth asked worriedly.

"Yeah," Leah answered after a few seconds. "Just...Feeling a little sick, is all." She smiled grimly.

"W-why don't you go up to bed, honey? Sleep as long as you need to." Sue helped Leah stand up and took her upstairs.

"I've never in my life seen her like that," Jared said when the two were out of earshot. "Leah cries?"

"Yeah," Seth chuckled and looked down, crossing his arms. I stood.

"I'm...Going to go run," I said quickly. I needed an excuse to let my wolf out.

"Yeah. See you later, Jake," Seth nodded at me. I nodded back and left the house, breaking off into a sprint while throwing off my clothes. Then I phased. Half the Pack was in their wolf forms. They were joking around somewhere in the clearing. Something about Paul.

_"Hey, Jake! You hear? _Paul _just proposed to _your_ sister," _Embry said.

_"Cool. It'll be weird having him actually related to me, though," _I rolled my eyes and found them, taking a seat on my haunches.

_"I phased for nothing. I was expecting Jake's fiery fists of fury," _Quil plopped to the ground with a huff.

_"Guys..." _I started.

_"Yeah?" _

_ "'Sup?" _

_ "What'd you do?" _

_ "Leah's back."_

Leah's P.o.V.

_Swish. Swish. Swish._

I'd always loved the sound of the broom as it moved across a floor. I took my time sweeping the diner, because it was so relaxing. I turned on old 40s music and sang along, dancing around with it and pretending that I was back in my apartment in Boston with Travis.

"_I'm gonna' send a wire, hopping on a plane, leaving someday_..." I sang, dancing around to _Kalamazoo_. I loved Glenn Miller. And when he was mixed with the Nicholas Brothers, the songs were genius.

I swept dust and crumbs and straw wrappers into the waste bin, then put the broom away. After that, I moved the 'open' sign to 'closed.'

"I'll see you later, Mom," I said, pulling on my jacket. She popped her head back over the counter and nodded. "I already closed up and swept and wiped down all the tables."

"You're amazing, my Leelah," she cooed, wiping her hands on a dishrag. I smiled grimly and hugged her.

"See you at home?"

"Yes. Love you." I nodded and left, the bells chiming. I wrapped my arms around me and walked down the road, towards First Beach Way, where my house was.

Walking slowly, I breathed in and then out.

"What's wrong, Leah?" Travis asked. He fell into step next to me. I didn't look up at him. I couldn't.

"Everything," I answered.

"Leelah, _everything _can't be wrong," he chuckled.

"Travis, I'm scared."

"Of what?"

"They're...They said-"

"It doesn't matter what they said. You're safe. You and our baby. That's all that matters." I nodded and looked down. After a few seconds I finally turned to him, but he was gone. I stopped walking and stared at where he had been, feeling tears well up in my eyes.

"Travis..." I whispered and sighed. I glanced up at the house I was standing in front of, just as Seth opened the door. He smiled at me.

"Hey, Leah," he shrugged.

"You live here?" I asked. He shook his head.

"My girlfriend does." The house wasn't that big, but not that small. It was charming. A small garden was in the front and there were flowers in the windows with green shutters. Seth turned and waved to a pretty girl in the window, and she smiled, waving back after biting her lip. I saw my brother wink at her before walking down the pathway towards me.

"You on your way home?"

"Mhm."

"I'll walk with you." We were silent for a while, Seth kicking pinecones and leaves out of the way.

"So...What've you been up to?" I asked, breaking the silence. He shrugged.

"Nothing, really. I'm starting my classes soon. And I also do an internship at the high school. I want to work there someday...Teach history."

"_History_?" I giggled and he narrowed his eyes with a smile.

"What?"

"Nothing. You just don't seem like the history type, Baby Bro."

He shrugged and reached his arms up to rest them behind his head, and his shirt came up a little, revealing a small strip of skin. I noticed a black mark...Loopy lettering.

"Nice ink," I said, pointing to it. He frowned at me and then noticed what I was referring to.

"Yeah? Mom flipped when she saw it. Precious did it for me. She works at a tattoo shop in Port Angeles."

"Precious?"

"My girlfriend."

"Oh. Her name doesn't fit her occupation."

"I know, right? But she's so stubborn and feisty once you get to know her. It actually kind of does."

"Did you imprint on her?"

"...Yeah. Last year. I did _not _expect that." He smiled at me.

"Care to share?" I smirked at him.

"...You know the Harris family, right?" I nodded. "Well, she's their niece. Came to live with them a few years back. So, I was in Port Angeles with the guys because they were bugging me about 'getting inked,' even though I showed them the one that I already had." I nodded, knowing about the tattoo that we all had on our shoulders. "So, anyway, walked in, and the guy called up 'Harris!' And here she comes, out of the back room. I was talking to Embry, Quil, and Claire - they were the ones making me get it - and then Embry looked up and smiled. I turned and saw her." Seth grinned widely. "Her hair was dyed hot pink at the time, but she was still so pretty. I still remember what she had on: this little black dress and a pair of super high heels. She had looked older than seventeen. But it was her smile that got me. So gorgeous." I nodded slowly, thinking about the brunette that I'd seen in the window.

"What made her dye it brown?"

"She changes the color all the time. To be honest, I don't know what the real color is." He shrugged. "But I don't care; as long as she keeps her pretty grin."

"You love her a lot, huh?" I asked. We slowed down when we came to the house.

"Yeah. So, _so _much." I smiled at him and patted his shoulder before going inside.

"Good." I nodded approvingly.

The next day, I slept in for a while, only waking up to vomit. After that, I couldn't get back to sleep so I made my way down the stairs. I looked around, seeing that the house was empty. I sat at the table, then saw a note taped to the white board - I can't _believe _she still kept that.

I walked to it and tugged the paper off, reading it.

_Went to work. If you want, I left you some pancakes and sausage in the microwave. Figured you'd be hungry. You don't have to come in today if you don't want to, or if you're not feeling up to it. Love you - Mom._

About an hour later, I was sitting on the beach and staring at the water. I brushed my hair out of my face and sighed, wrapping my arms tighter around me.

"You used to talk about this a lot," Travis told me. I nodded, feeling myself unable to look at him again.

"It's my favorite part about living here. I'm not that far from the beach."

"It's beautiful," he agreed. I nodded once and sighed, knowing that he had gone again. The day was cloudy, and it matched my dreary mood.

"Hey." I blinked, still looking at the crashing waves then I turned, seeing Sam. I bit my lip and returned my gaze back to the ocean as he sat down next to me. We were quiet for a while and I closed my eyes, feeling more nausea dig its claws into my body. I placed my hand to my mouth, willing my stomach to stay put. Finally, it passed and I relaxed.

"Why're you here?" I finally asked him.

"I was out for a run and saw you sitting alone. Thought you could use someone." I glanced at him just as he looked at me. "It's really great to see you back." He smiled at me and I looked down.

"Just wish it could be under better circumstances," I muttered, hoping he didn't hear it. But, damn wolf hearing, he did and knitted his eyebrows together.

"What? How so?"

"Nothing, Sam. Just...Nothing. Not important right now."

"But it has something to do with you. It _is _important," his voice rose and my hands wrapped around my midsection out of instinct. "I'm not going to hurt you. It's okay." I blinked away tears and shook my head. "I can hear the heartbeat." My breathing hitched and my eyes widened. "You're pregnant."

It took me a while to answer, but finally I said, "Yeah." But it was weird sounding. My voice was quivering.

"Do you want it?"

"Yes!" I turned to him. "Of course I do! Travis-" I stopped, scared of the name that I'd just mentioned aloud. My hand flew to my mouth and I let some tears slide out of my eyes. Sam pulled me into a hug and I buried my face into his bare chest, sniffling and shaking and letting out babyish sobs. I wrapped my arms around his torso and gripped him tighter, letting more tears come out. He stroked my hair and kissed the top of my head. I pushed him away. "You can't do this. You need to go to Emily. You don't...You can't love me anymore."

"I still do. Maybe not in the way that I used to, but I still do, Leah. You need to realize that. Don't...Don't push me away. I'm sorry for what I did. If I could...I wouldn't have done it."

"You've told me that so many times before. I'm starting to not believe it," I said.

"_Please _believe it, Leah! It's true. And...And I still love you. I've spent the past five years worrying and thinking about you - if you were safe. When I'm not thinking about the Pack, or Emily...I'm thinking about _you_. You always find a way to wriggle yourself back into my mind, and I can't help it. Now if that isn't love then what is?" he asked me.

"Love..._Love_," my voice broke. "You and I had it. Then...Travis and me. We had that. Love hates me. It's always stripped away from me when I least expect it. It was taken away when Daddy died, when you left me...When..." I sniffed and closed my eyes.

"What'd he do to you?" Sam growled. "I swear, I'll-"

"No. Just...No." I wrapped my arms around me again. "I hate love. Love is stupid. Idiotic. It toys with peoples' minds. When I say those three words to Mom - 'I love you' - I don't even know if I mean it. I barely know what it means anymore. To me, it's like...It's like something pointless that you say. Like a 'goodbye' or 'hello.' I don't know what it _means _anymore."

"Leah." I didn't look at him. "Leah, look at me." I finally did. "You know what it is. Deep down inside, I know you do. If you didn't know, you wouldn't be keeping his kid. You love the baby, don't you?"

"With all my..." I looked down.

"With all your heart. That's what it is, Leah. You could be the coldest, meanest person on Earth. But deep down, you still got it." He looked me dead in my eyes as he said this and I felt myself nod stiffly before sniffing again. "Now, Leah, I love you. Not like what we used to have, but I still love you. You're like a sister to me. I'd do _anything _if it meant that you'd be safe." He pulled me into another hug and I held him tightly, letting a few more tears escape. "It'll be okay."

I shook my head and pulled away, wiping away the last of my tears and sniffling. I didn't believe that it'd ever be okay. Sam placed a hand on my shoulder and squeezed, sending me a sad smile. I felt myself smile back and we hugged again. When we pulled away, he got a sorry look on his face.

"I need to go run patrol."

"It's okay. I'll be...Fine," I sighed.

"Stop by tonight? Here? We're having a bonfire."

"...Maybe." He nodded and waved before leaving. I sighed again and trekked back home. As I was walking, I was aware of someone falling into step beside me. "What, Jacob?"

"Nothing..." he said.

"Then just leave me alone, okay?"

"No." He grabbed my arm and turned me around to face him. "I want to make sure that you're safe."

"Well if you wanted to do that, you should've came with me."

"I couldn't! After seeing my dad and my sisters I _couldn't_." I was quiet and finally wriggled myself out of his grasp. He was trying to say something else, but he didn't. I started walking away from him. "Don't walk away from me."

"Well I already am."

"Leah, wait!" He caught up to me and took my arm again. I stared up at him and he stared down at me. I felt a sudden urge to hug him, or something. I felt like...He could make everything and anything all better. Like a bandage placed onto a paper cut. "Leah...I'm pretty sure that I...I...I was wrong for letting you go alone."

"Jake-"

"Don't deny it. I was _wrong_. If I would've gone, this wouldn't be happening to you right now."

"Really, it's-"

"No. I've finally come to terms with myself. You still _do _need me, Leah."

"No more than you need _me_."

"Then we both need each other."

"Isn't that what I'm supposed to say?" I quirked an eyebrow. He smiled at me - a smile filled with so much...Something. I don't know. "Jacob, I don't get this. You obviously have a huge problem with me. If you didn't, you would've come with me all those years ago. Now you're acting as if it didn't happen."

"And I know it did. I'm...I can't really say that I'm sorry, because I don't have to be."

"Then if you don't have to be then what _can _you be?" I moved out of his grasp again and started back down the pathway. Again, he grabbed a hold of me.

"Leah, stop."

"Let me go, Jacob!" I hissed. When he didn't, I stamped my foot to show him that I wanted him to let me go _now_. I swear, I saw him smile a bit.

"You're probably the most difficult person that I've ever encountered in my whole entire being, Leah Clearwater."

"And you're probably the biggest bastard that I've met in _my _entire being, Jacob Black. When I say 'let go' that means 'let _go_.'" He finally released me and I hurried back home, only to puke my guts out again.

0000000000000000000000

Jacob's P.o.V.

Why couldn't I just tell her?

_Oh, hey, Leah. Just wanted to tell you that I've imprinted on you and that I'm almost positive that I love you with all my heart and soul. So, I was wondering, do you love me back?_

Hell. No.

She'd probably slap me, punch me, then laugh her ass off all the way back to her house.

_You're kidding, right? _she'd ask.

But I wasn't. I really do love her. So much that I've been having violent chest pains for the past five years every time I have to go through something that has to do with her.

I hate keeping her in the dark. I want so bad to just shout it to the world.

_I LOVE YOU, LEAH CLEARWATER!_

But, no. The little bit of sanity that I had left was keeping me from doing it.

I'm trying hard to be nice to her. Get her to at least like me back. But who am I kidding? After what I'd done to her, why _would _she like me back? I'm surprised she didn't lay a finger on my face earlier.

"Hey, man. What're you thinking about?" Embry nudged me, taking a bite out of his hot dog.

"Huh? Oh, nothing." I shook my head, willing the subject to change. Ever since what'd happened in that bathroom before, he'd always been on my heels worrying about me. Sometimes I think the bro was more crazy than I was. I'm twenty-_two_. I have my own house and I work. I don't need anyone worrying about me, gol_ly_.

But you know who _does _need to be worried about?

_Shut up, dumbass. She doesn't need to be worried about._

How about _you _shut up? Stupid voice.

_I'll shut up when you're finally finished._

I felt myself growl at it and Embry frowned at me. I shook my head again. His imprint, Farah, laid on her stomach in the sand between us and looked at the both of us before rolling her eyes.

"Don't start fighting again. Please?"

"We're not," Embry smiled at her after giving me another look. She sat up and crawled into his lap, leaning on his shoulder. Dad started telling legends after that and we all fell into a silence, listening to him explain the stories. Suddenly, he stopped and I noticed him looking over the fire at something. Everyone had turned to look, too. I did, and felt my heart skip a beat.

Seth had his arm hooked around Precious, and his hand in Leah's.

"Sorry we're late, guys," he shrugged and smiled. He sat down and Precious leaned into him. Leah sat and pulled her legs to her chest, leaning her head on her knees. She waved a little, but didn't look at me. She sighed and Dad began to speak again. No one listened to him, though. They were all stealing glances at Leah.

I could hear it. The second heartbeat coming from her stomach. If I could hear it, I knew that my brothers could, too. They would look at her curiously before turning to either Dad or their imprints. When he finally finished, he smiled at Leah.

"Welcome back, sweetie," he said.

"Thanks," she said quietly. Kim ran and hugged her, Emily, Rachel, and Claire, too.

"Don't you _ever _do that again!" Kim scolded her.

"Where'd you go?" Claire asked. "Someplace amazing?"

"I'm so happy you're back!" Emily hugged her again. I waited for Leah to move away from her cousin's embrace, but she didn't. She stayed. Wherever she was and whatever she did, it had tamed her a little.

Leah moved so that she was sitting Indian style and smiled at the imprints. She flipped her hair over her shoulder and toyed with it, glancing around at the guys.

"You've all grown so much..." she sighed. She turned to Claire and sat up. "You, too. You're not that little girl anymore, huh? You're beautiful." Claire blushed and giggled.

"I like the dream catcher you made me. The feathers especially," she cooed.

"Thanks." Leah shrugged.

"What'd you do while you were gone?" Paul asked her.

"Nothing. Just...Hung around," she sighed. It wasn't the whole truth. I knew it.

"Now that you're here can you tell us where you went? I want _details_," Rachel touched her shoulder.

"...I drove for a while." She grinned, and I could see some color rush to her face. Her smile turned sly and dreamy and she started in on a story. She talked dreamily, sighing a lot along with a lot of breathy words. "And then I was on this road in the city, but my car was running out of gas real quick. I had no money left, and I was _exhausted_. I drove that Mustang as far as it could go and then it sputtered and stopped." She sighed. "Then..._Then _here comes this young boy-" She looked at the girls who all laughed. "-fine and sexy as I don't even _know _what. And he sees me sittin' on the hood of that Mustang, and he asks me all smooth - _you need help? _Now me, I was awestruck at this boy. Blonde hair and eyes blue as the sea itself. Then he asked me again - _do you need help? _And I finally stuttered-" She tugged on her hair and crossed her eyes, making everyone laugh. I chuckled and shook my head. "_Y-yes_. And that boy...He fixed up my car all nice and then etched his initials right on the hood."

"What were the initials?" Claire leaned forward.

"_T.W. _And then he wrote his number right on the palm of my quivering hand." She pointed to her hand. "A few weeks after that, I finally worked up the courage to call that boy. And he took me out..." her voice became dreamy and she leaned on her knees. "...Had a nice dinner. A movie. Then he took me on back to his place...That little Boston Boy could sweet talk a girl into _anything_."

"Boston? You drove all the way to _Boston_?" I asked. She nodded, but didn't look at me.

"Let's...Continue this story another time," she said. Kim's shoulders slumped and Rachel groaned.

"Le_ah_!"

"Fine..."

"What was he like?"

"Boston Boy was in love with the Thirties. Forties and early Fifties, too. Was too damn stubborn to listen to any other music. That was all he played. And his apartment looked all over the city. On nice nights, he'd take me up on the roof and I'd pretend like I was on top of the world." She giggled and looked up. "He was sweet. Real sweet. Knew how to treat a girl." She looked down at her hands.

"What was his name?" Claire asked. Leah sighed and wrapped her arms around herself, turning her gaze back to the stars.

"Travis..." she sighed. "Waters. One of the greatest men to ever walk the face of this earth." I felt myself get a little jealous. I wanted her to describe me this way. Not some..._Boston _kid.

The girls 'oohed' and elbowed Leah, who just smiled.

"So where is this _Boston Boy_?" Kim asked. Leah looked back at the stars and her arms wrapped tighter around herself.

"He's..." She shrugged. "He's gone now."

"Aww, Leah! I'm sorry!" Kim said. Leah shook her head and looked down.

"He was good while I had him," she shrugged. There was something more to that statement, and I wanted to find out.

Something else I wanted to do was kill Travis Waters. He'd left Leah alone with a baby to have and raise. I hoped he was at least going to come _see _it, or something. He need to.

"At least you have us," Embry waggled his eyebrows at Leah, who laughed a bit.

"Yeah." Her eyes landed on me for a second before turning back to the girls. Her face was sad again, not happy like it had been just a few minutes ago.

"If I ever see him, I'll kill him for leaving you," Rachel frowned. Leah shook her head. That's the second time she's done that when someone said something like that. "How come? You were totally in love with him. Now he's left you."

"Yeah, he's left me. But not in the...Way that you'd think," she shrugged and looked up again. "Travis..." She held up her hand and twisted the ring off. "He was gonna' marry me. Told me himself. He said he'd buy me a big, red brick house...Garden in the front. With a Labrador mix named Rexy." She smiled, then it was wiped away. Everyone was staring at her intently, waiting for her to finish the next part of her story. I kept staring at her face, watching every change and movement that crossed it.

Every change brought sudden emotion to me; when she smiled, I did, too. When she frowned, I frowned harder. When her face was sad, I felt like my heart was ripping in two. She didn't deserve to be sad.

She took a deep breath. "Travis...We were walking one night. I'd wanted some jerky, and he had taken me to get some." She closed her eyes, as if reliving that night. "We were walking home, and we heard someone calling for help...So we went to check it out, and there was this _guy_." She squeezed her eyes tight. "And this guy...He didn't look too good. Travis held me real close to him and that guy stood in front of us. _'Where's the money?_' he kept asking. _The money, the money, the money_...Travis took out his wallet...But he - the man - grabbed..._Me_, and..." She cocked her head slowly, her eyes still closed. "He held that barrel right against my head and turned the safety off." My breathing hitched and I felt myself starting to shake. "Travis told him to let me go and held out his wallet, dumping out all the money he had. The...Guy pushed me away and..." Leah squeezed her eyes even tighter then opened them. "Bang," she whimpered. "My little Boston Boy fell backwards and that guy took off. I fell beside him and held him in my arms. He kept telling me..._'You're gonna' have that house, Leah. Big and beautiful. The prettiest garden on the block, Lovely Leah. Rexy will have his own dog house and our kid will play with him until that mutt's too old to play anymore.'_" Leah said quietly. "_'It'll be okay, it'll be okay, it'll be okay.'_ And my Boston Boy kissed me one last time...And when I pulled away, he was gone. That gorgeous, beautiful smile still on his handsome face. And I held him. I held him until they pried me away, kicking and screaming down that ally. I didn't want to leave him. I'd loved him so much. It didn't seem fair that he risked his life for me. That he was killed and I wasn't. But now I know that it was the right thing. My Boston Boy will live on." She rubbed her stomach and smiled. "My baby's gonna' have his eyes," she said dreamily. "His face. A little Travis. Or, maybe, a little Leah." She laughed a bit. "Guys, leaving...Was probably the best thing that happened to me. I might cry and sob about it. And I'll be sorry about it. But if I didn't leave...I wouldn't have met him. He wouldn't have changed me into the person I am right now. Without him, I'd still be the sad, sorry bitch I was all those years ago. But now I know that I'm better than that. I'll always love Travis, and I'll always miss him. Sometimes, I want to give up. Yeah, it'll be hard without him, but I can't. I can't give up, guys." She closed her eyes and sighed, rubbing her stomach again. "I got someone counting on me not to."


	5. Chapter 5

**The last chapter just had to be my favorite. I TOTALLY didn't know that I could write so deep and heartfelt like that. Thank you, **brneyez**, for your wonderful review! **

**Oh, **CaPtain SpOcKettE**, it's my story, I can do what I want. And have a little imagination! If I want Leah to have green eyes, then she can have green eyes. So what she's Native American? And don't worry, there's a lot more action in this chapter, okay?**

**~SashaFierce12.0**

Chapter Five

_"Smells good, Mom," I commented, sliding into the kitchen towards the refrigerator. Mom turned and smiled at me, turning back to making dinner. I reached into the fridge and pulled out the orange juice carton, taking out a glass and filling it to the middle. Then I put the carton back and took a swig."What're you making, anyway?" I asked into the cup. _

_ "Saw this recipe on TV the other day. All the way from the island of Japan," she winked. _

_ "Isn't Japan a _country_?"_

_ "Yeah. But it's an island, too. You would know that..." She reached under her recipe book and turned to me with a piece of paper. "...If you hadn't gotten a D in world history." She quirked an eyebrow and I stared at my report card. _

_ "That...Can't be right," I said, setting down my glass. _

_ "Jacob, the card never lies." _

_ "But-" _

_ "There're no 'buts', young man," she held up her hand and then her face got soft. "If you were having trouble in a subject, why didn't you just tell me?" I crossed my arms and looked down with a shrug. "Hey." She picked up my head with her fingers and smiled at me. "I'm not mad at you. Just surprised. You and I _both _know that you can do better, Jake." _

_ "I know." She kissed my cheek and set my report card down. _

_ "I expect a change next quarter," she said. _

_ "Yes, ma'am." _

_ "Good. Now..." She threw a spoon at me. "Help me make dinner."_

00000000000000-000000000000000

Jacob's P.o.V.

I sighed gruffly, seeing Leah sitting alone at a table in Sue's empty diner. I could hear her humming, rubbing the barely visible bump on her stomach. I let myself in, ignoring the 'closed' sign. She stared at me.

"What?" she asked after a few seconds.

"You looked like you could use somebody."

"And that somebody is _you_?"

"Yeah. I guess." Now was my chance. I could explain the whole situation to her and maybe, just maybe, she'd understand. But I didn't.

Whoa. No shocker there.

"What are you thinking about?" I asked her after a few seconds of silence. She didn't answer, but sighed. "...Travis?" I asked. She hesitated before nodding.

"Pretty soon, my baby's gonna' be here. And he'll never be able to as much catch of a glimpse of him."

"Leah, it'll be okay."

"I know. And I keep telling myself that..._He _had told me that. But it's still so hard. Do you know how many times I just wanted to...Give up and _die _today?"

"Leah, think about the baby!"

"And I do. Baby keeps me sane." She rubbed her stomach again and sighed. "Why am I even talking to you? Leave me alone, Jacob."

"No. I don't have to. I don't _want _to." She stared at me.

"You probably have some imprint somewhere that means more to you than me at this moment. Why don't you go to her, or something?" she asked bitterly.

_Because you're my imprint_.

"Because I don't have one," I lied. Mentally, I slapped myself for lying to her. I'm such a dumbass.

"Really?" Leah asked - and I caught a little twinge of happiness in the word. It gave me hope that maybe she liked me back, but I didn't dwell on it too much; it could just be me.

"Yeah..." I lied again. She turned to me and stared me down then walked behind the counter. I followed her. "Where're you going?"

"To wash dishes," she answered.

"Let me help you."

"I don't need your help." She grabbed the dish soap and started making dishwater. I reached for the bottle but she held it back. "Jacob, I said 'no'!" I reached for it again, this time getting my fingers on it. We both fought for the bottle, and I pulled harder. Leah pulled hard, too, and then the soap squirted all over her. She let go and her mouth hung slack. She wiped a little soap away from her cheek and stared at it, an annoyed and furious smile playing on her lips. She stared me dead in my eyes, her eyes cold.

The water had started to overflow from the sink, but we ignored it. Well, two out of three.

_Now's your chance, dear Jacob..._

Shut up. Can't you see I'm busy?

_You know you want to..._

Leah reached for the closest thing on the counter. The fire extinguisher. She held it up and pointed it at me. I stepped back, holding up my free hand.

"Leah...It was an accident! I'm sorry!" I pleaded. She ignored me, spraying my body with the white contents inside.

"I'm sorry! It was an _accident_!" Leah said, a sly smile on her lips. I frowned and held out the bottle to her. "Oh, please. I've seen your aim before. What you did was sheer luck-" She stopped when I squirted her all over her face and body. She had her eyes squeezed shut and took it. Then she squirted me again. "Stop!" She stamped her foot and slipped on the wet floor. She caught herself on the counter, dropping the fire extinguisher and landing on the trigger. It sprayed everywhere and didn't stop. "Look what you did!"

"_Me_?" I squirted her with the soap again and she picked up the extinguisher, holding it out at me. All I saw was white and little glimpses of her. But I kept squirting, hoping that the yellow substance would touch her.

The floor was wet and we slipped and slid all across the kitchen. Big clumps of white soap cluttered the floor, too, which made it even more slippery.

Leah shrieked and sprayed me even more, making me laugh a little. Finally, the extinguisher started to sputter, and the white spray soon ended.

"If you wait, like, two seconds, my mom keeps a whole stash of these in the back," Leah said, holding up her hands in defense. I laughed and dropped the soap.

"Truce, Clearwater," I said and laughed more when I saw her. She was all wet and covered in soap clumps. All over her arms, legs, and face was covered in the yellow soap that I'd sprayed her with. "Damn, I got you good."

"And I got you worse," she smiled a bit. I looked down at my soaking wet body, covered all over in white foam.

"Guess so," I laughed and looked back at her. She stared into my eyes for a while before looking back down shyly. "Crap." She rushed to turn the water off and then looked around the messy kitchen. "Mom's gonna' flip."

"Then I'll tell her it was my fault," I said.

"But both of us did it."

"Your point?"

"We'll clean up," she said, and started hogging out the water. There was a drain on the floor, so most of the water had disappeared down that, but we'd still have to mop it up.

When we were done, Leah and I slid down the counter and sighed, admiring our work.

"Looks good as new," I said.

"What was that stupid fight about, anyway?" Leah asked. "Oh, yeah. I _told _you to just let me do it myself." She elbowed me in my ribs and scoffed.

"Admit it, Clearwater. You had fun."

"...Okay. But it was only 'fun' because I got to see you change race," she joked. "You were so white when I was done with you."

"Yeah. Now I'm wet." I chuckled and Leah smiled at me before laughing, too. Soon the both of us were laughing. Leah fell on top of me and sucked in another breath to giggle again.

"Jacob, you should've seen your face!" she giggled. "It was like-"

"Yours was funnier! When you're pissed, it's so hilarious." We stared at each other in silence, only to burst out laughing again.

"All because you were too damn stubborn to let a big girl do her own work." Leah elbowed me again and rolled her eyes. We looked at each other again and I leaned down, Leah moving her head up. Then I kissed her. A few seconds into it, she gasped and pulled away, struggling to stand up.

"What?" I asked, standing up with her. "What'd I do?"

"Everything!" She screeched. "We...We can't do this right now." She wiped her lips of any trace of me. I hid my hurt by growling.

"I couldn't have _possibly _done everything."

"But you did." She grabbed her coat and pulled it on. "You can't do that."

"But you kissed me back!"

"Because I was being stupid enough to do it."

"It only shows that you actually have feelings for me."

"Psh. I don't."

"Why? What'd that kiss mean then?" I asked her, crossing my arms.

"Nothing."

"...Nothing? I find that hard to believe." She frowned at me. "Why don't you let me in, Leah?"

"Because..."

"'Because' _what_?"

"BECAUSE I CAN'T!" she screeched, stamping her foot. "I...Can't." She whimpered. "I've been hurt so many times before, and..."

"And you're scared of getting hurt again," I finished for her. Even though she tried to push me away, I pulled her into a hug and held her tightly until she finally stopped resisting. "It's okay to be scared." My grip loosened and she moved out of my hug.

"But I don't want to be. I want to love someone and actually _know _that I'll never have my heart broken again."

"Listen, if this is about-"

"It's not about him. It's just about love in general. I hate how it betrays me every time. Every time, Jacob." She fished a set of keys out of her coat pocket.

"Leah, please don't push me away. I..." We walked out of the diner and she locked the door. She shook her head and wrapped her hands around her body, walking towards her house. I sighed and finished, "I love you."

00000000000000000000000000

"...I miss you so much. It's been too long, and I hate not waking up every day and hearing your voice. Smelling breakfast cooking in the kitchen and actually being excited to eat something that you made." I chuckled a little at this part. "Your pancakes were _amazing_. Now, all I do is burn the ones I try to make. It's pitiful." I took the black pancakes that I had made and dumped them into the trash, turning on the fan to air out the smell. "Really...If only you could see me now." I began mixing up a new batch, promising myself that I'd make them right this time. "...I don't think I could ever recreate the ones that you used to make, but it's something, and I'm hungry."

_Okay...Mix this and pour..._

"Don't worry, I'll try to watch them this time." I hoisted myself onto an empty part of the counter and sat, waiting for the pancake to bubble at the top and I could flip it. I looked around my small, empty house. It was quiet; except for the morning news I had on the TV. I turned back to the pan and cursed, hopping off the counter. I quickly flipped it over and sighed, seeing that it was only a dark brown color.

"Whew...Thought I ruined that one. I did pretty good, huh?" After that, I made a few more, which turned out...Not quite burnt, but edible.

After cleaning up, I sat down and began eating.

_"In other news, boxing champ Johnny _Tapia _was found _dead _inside his Albuquerque home on Sunday. We have word from the-" _I clicked the TV off, and that's when the house got deathly silent. It was depressing. Sure, the light was on and the window was open, but it was too quiet.

My house was small compared to most; one story, two bedrooms, a bathroom, a kitchen, and a living room. I'd hoped that I'd at least found someone by now to fill this emptiness, but I know now that that ship has sailed. Leah will probably never know about my love for her and I'll die alone in this house - old, grey, and no one to care for me in the world.

_Or, you could just do it now._

"No. I'm not ready to go yet," I protested.

_You _think _you're not ready._

"I _know _I'm not-"

_Just do it, dumbass. Like you said, no one will care for you._

...

_See? You have nothing to say to that. Do it. Now._

"But...Mom-"

_You'll see her again! _

"...I..._Would_."

_Yes! You _would_. Now...Follow my directions._

000000000000000000000

Leah's P.o.V.

"_I really can't stay...I've got to go away...This evening has been, so very nice..._" I mopped the floor and sang, twirling around at the same time. It was only November, but I had already felt like singing some Christmas carols.

I continued singing and dancing, the room disappearing and transforming into my Boston apartment. The mop became my Boston Boy and I was in the pretty, poofy, red dress that I'd gotten from the thrift store. When I'd seen it in the store all those months ago, I had declared it mine. I'd saved up forever for it, and now it really _was _mine. It was beautiful, and I felt like a six year old pretending to be a princess again.

My lipstick was done, my hair was curled, and I was barefoot. Travis twirled me around and sang the guy's part to the song, warming me up from the cold, windy Boston night. He whispered the words into my ear and I sang my own part, him smiling with each word I sang. He caressed my cheek with his hand and twirled me around one last time.

"_Baby, it's cold outside_..." The room turned back into the kitchen in Mom's diner. I finished mopping, feeling a little sad that it had all been a stupid fantasy.

"Get over it, Leah," I repeated to myself, sliding to the floor. "It'll be okay."

"It'll be okay," Travis' voice whispered into my ear. A shiver shot through my body and I closed my eyes. His voice never left me alone these days, but I didn't mind. I missed hearing it.

"Leah?" Mom rushed over to me. "What happened? Are you okay?" She helped me up and looked me over in worry.

"I'm fine, Mom," I knitted my eyebrows together.

"Ugh, I _knew _working here would be too much for-"

"I'm _fine_." She looked skeptical but dismissed the subject after giving me another look over.

"Okay." She fluffed my hair over my shoulder and kissed my cheek, going out the door. I followed her, taking a few orders.

When we closed, she locked up and we walked home together.

"You're going to be twenty-two tomorrow," Mom said to me. Her breath came out in puffs of smoke as she talked and she turned and smiled at me.

"Mhm." I nodded, wrapping my arms around me.

"Emily wants to do something for you, but I said I'd ask you first."

"As long as it doesn't involve clowns, bouncy castles, balloon animals, and/or gin, I'm all for it," I joked. Mom laughed and pulled me into a side hug.

"You've grown so much," she said to me. "I still remember when I had to actually look _down _to see your little face."

"Hm. Now we're the same height."

"Yeah..." She hugged me tighter. "When...You were in Boston, did...Did he do anything special for you?" she asked tentatively. I sighed.

"He'd go to work in the morning...I'd go...Then, he'd surprise me. And I'd never know what time he'd come in. It changed every year..."

_"Yo, Leah! Get Table Two over there, would ya'?" Landon yelled to me. _

_ "Got it!" I ran to the table, pulling out my notepad. "Good afternoon, may I start you off with-" I looked up and Travis sat in the chair in front of me, smirking and holding a big bouquet of white anemones. "Travis!" _

_ "Do you happen to know if anything _special _is happening today?" he asked. I frowned and he whistled, getting the restaurant's attention. _

_ "What are you-"_

_ "May I have your attention please?" he called loudly. I covered my face with my hands as he stood on top of the table. "We have a birthday in the house today!" _

_ "Travis!" _

_ "Leah Clearwater was born twenty-one years ago _today_!" he yelled, making everyone cheer and clap and laugh. "Now...I, her oh-so-lovely boyfriend, have a gift..." He jumped down from the table and stood in front of me. He took my hands into his and stuck his hands shyly into his pockets. "You are _so _beautiful, and I've watched you grow gracefully into the young lady you are today. And with each passing day, I've grown more and more in love with you. Now, Leah..." He grinned at me and pulled his hands out of his pocket, his left holding something white and small. My heart sped up and October, one of my friends, squealed when he got down on one knee. "...In full view of _this _restaurant, will you marry me?" The restaurant gasped and squealed and excitement filled the air as they waited for my answer._

_ I could barely breathe and I was grinning so hard, my face had started to hurt. I finally nodded repeatedly and helped him to his feet, pulling him into a tight hug. I kissed him over and over again as everyone cheered from around us. _

_ "Boston Boy, you are _such _a dork." He looked down at me and smiled. _

_ "But I'm _your _dork." _

_ "Yeah. _My _dork." _

I grinned, remembering that day.

"I never expected that," I said, twisting the ring around my finger. "My Boston Boy was full of surprises."

"Like your dad. I remember when he proposed to me, everyone was in on it...But me," Mom laughed and then sighed dreamily. "The both of us were at the beach and he'd just made me a dinner. Then he had said something about forgetting something, and he told me to wait while he went and got it. Who should show up but Billy and Sarah - who had just been married not even three months before. We started a conversation, and then Sarah asked me if 'I loved Harry with all my heart.' I had frowned at her..." She laughed and I did, too. "And I told her 'of _course_!' Then Billy took my hand and twirled me around three times..." Mom laughed and twirled three times, making me giggle. "...And when I stopped, I was facing all my friends and cousins...And they were all dressed up. They looked beautiful. My cousin, Rayne - Emily's mother - started to giggle and then they parted to reveal..." She sighed and looked up. "Your father. He was in this nice suit...And then he walked forward...Got down on his knee..." She held up her hand and her diamond ring glittered and sparkled in the lights coming from the houses. "And he asked me to marry him. Of course, as soon as he said 'marry' I was all over him. I'd kissed him thirty-seven times in a row."

"Thirty-_seven_?" I raised my eyebrows and grinned.

"Yeah." She looked at me and laughed. "He counted, not me." We both ended up laughing after that, walking into the house. Seth and Precious were there to greet us.

"Before the guys got to you, I thought we'd have a nice and quiet little party," Seth explained. He gestured to the two gifts on the couch. "For you. And Estrella." He grinned, thinking about the niece I was to squeeze through my vagina in six months. I smiled and sat down next to them, reaching for the first one.

I pulled out a beautifully woven blanket. I held it up and looked at all the stars and wolves on it.

"Wow..."

"I made it," Precious raised her hand. "It's a baby blanket. Mom taught me how to make them when I was younger. I made some for your bed, too." She smiled at me.

"Thank you," I said, running my hands on the soft fabric. "I think my Star Pearl will like this." I was slowly getting to know Precious, and she was becoming a great friend to me. I really liked her, and she was almost a sister now.

"And..." Mom pulled me up and down the hallway. She opened the door at the farthest end and tugged me inside. "Precious and I finished it yesterday when you were sleeping." I walked into the baby's room, running my hand across Seth's old crib, now decorated with hand woven blankets and pink teddy bears. Then I went to the dresser, where a picture of the latest ultrasound was sitting. That was when I found out I was having a girl - Travis' little girl.

The windows had wispy pink curtains and the ceiling was covered in hearts and glow in the dark stars.

I ran to my mom and hugged her.

"You really didn't have to do all this. Really."

"Anything for my babies." She hugged me tighter and then I pulled away, going to hug Precious.

"Thank you."

"Anytime." Seth skidded in.

"Sorry to break up the happiness, but we have a problem."

0000000000000000000000000000

Jacob's P.o.V.

Computer duster.

Knife.

Gloves.

_Ready_, the voice said. _Now...Just do as I'd said before. We're gonna' make it look like an accident. But once we're done-_

"I'll see her."

_Exactly._

Step one. Put on the gloves.

Step two-

_Take the knife..._

Gripping the handle of the knife, I took in a deep breath and slit my shoulder. I growled a little in pain, but it soon left after it healed.

_Your body. Your whole. Body._

I slit all over my arms and legs and even my cheek. My clothes were covered with blood, but the scars had healed.

_It's good enough. Now take the computer duster-_

"I got it." I cut the voice off and unscrewed the top, throwing it far into the forest. I took off the gloves, throwing each one into different directions. Then I took another deep breath, holding it to my mouth. The smell was horrible.

_Just get it over with. Drink it all and throw the can._

The bottle got closer and closer to my lips and I could taste the duster on my tongue.

_Over and one_.

I took a long swig, then coughed, holding it away from me. I fell to the ground, spitting and gagging and choking.

_OVER AND DONE._

I felt around for the knife, then found it. I held it to my chest as I took another swig. My throat burned and I coughed some more, my eyes starting to water. I spit and gagged again, finally puking a little. My stomach wanted to get rid of it.

_DON'T let it._

I heaved, but took another small gulp, pulling the knife closer.

_That's it...Just a little-_

The voice was interrupted by barks and howls.

They'd found me.

I choked and coughed again, my arms starting to give way.

_Just finish it before they come. _

I tried to take one last gulp of air, but choked again.

_DO IT!_

I finished off the duster, falling onto my back. I threw it as far as I could, holding the knife to my chest.

_Now wrench it into your heart and twist._

I held it closer and tried to stab myself, squeezing my eyes shut. I choked and gagged and my throat burned so bad, it was as if I'd swallowed hell itself. My hands quivered and I lazily slit my chest - but that was unintended.

My breathing became labored and I struggled for air. I could feel the poison pumping through my body, and it made me weak.

_Hurry and do it! They're coming!_

I pointed the knife at my heart and started pressing. I felt something warm and hot trickle down my chest and then the knife punctured my skin.

_Hurry up! Do it! You have nothing left. Nothing left to live for. Sarah's dead. Leah doesn't even _love _you. _

Leah...

_Yeah. That bitch. You've shown nothing but love to her ever since she's been back, and what does she do?_

She doesn't return my love.

_That's right. Now...Just dig in a little more-_

"Jacob!" I thrust my eyes open as I heard my name being yelled. My hand shook and then I let go of the knife, watching in my peripheral vision as it slid down next to me. I could feel more hot liquid slide down my chest and the pain stopped. My throat still burned, though, and it was getting hard to breathe.

I tried to call back - no one had come yet - but I couldn't.

"Jacob! Jake, buddy? Where are you?" Embry called. My brothers called my name, too. It had been raining, and the voice had told me that this was good.

_It'll cover your scent. They'll never track you, _it had said.

The voices got farther away, and I tried with all my might to yell to them. I needed help. It was slowly getting harder and harder to breathe; it was torture. I'd always wanted my death to be quick. Now I was dying slowly.

I'd never wish this on my worst enemy.

I gasped and gagged and coughed, rolling over to crawl across the forest floor. Everything was swerving and moving around, making me dizzy and confused. I pushed away the second bottle of duster and then cut myself on the knife. But I still crawled, then slowly stood up. I staggered and grasped anything and everything in my way, trying to steady myself.

My gasps for air weren't working; I couldn't get anything into my lungs. I could feel my body slowly shutting down, but I pushed on.

_Stop! Let it do its thing._

I pushed on, ignoring the voice - even though it sounded oh-so-tempting.

_Come on...Think about Sarah..._

Mom...

The world started to move around and shake, and I fell again, still gasping for air. It burned so bad and my whole body throbbed. My head felt like it'd explode at any minute and I felt bile push itself up my throat until I chucked it up and onto the ground. I crawled over it, still gasping for air. My throat was closing up and I tried again to call out to one of my pack brothers - whom I could still hear calling my name.

As if it was against me, too, the rain started to fall harder and a drum roll of thunder ripped through the air. It was cold; I started to shiver despite my body heat.

I coughed so hard, I felt like my insides were coming out. I gasped once, twice, three times. But they all ended in vain. I still couldn't breathe. I was suffocating.

_Perfect. Now, just lay there and die. Think about _Sarah_._

"Jake!" The voices were getting closer and I thanked God that they were coming. I laid on my back and gripped the wet grass as if it was an air source. I needed it. So. Bad.

_Gasp. Gasp. Gasp. Cough. Gag. Gasp._

I heard soft sloshes and splashes and they were getting closer.

Just...Hold on a little longer...

_Gasp. Gasp. Gasp..._

I sucked in a huge breath and my eyes widened with this one. I coughed again, and then gasped yet another time. The world swayed and dipped and swayed some more. My head throbbed, I was dizzy, and I...I didn't know where I was.

_Splash. Slosh-splash. _

"_JAKE_!" The person who'd called my name was loud; they were close. I gripped the ground, digging my fingers into the thick mud wet grass. I saw someone fall to my side and he supported my back, sitting me up. It only made my breathing worse and I gasped even more.

"He's breathing funny," Seth sputtered. I coughed some more, trying to get my throat clear. It still burned and I could feel my body filling with poison. It also felt like a lead weight was sitting on top of it, too. I couldn't move anything.

Computer duster. Who knew it could be so _dangerous_?

"Jacob, what happened?"

"Jake!"

"Dude, stay _awake_!"

"Breathe slow, man!"

Voices were all around me and I squeezed my eyes shut, still gasping for air. I gripped my chest and took in three more gulps of air, trying to get more oxygen into my body. It took all of my power to do this, though, because I could barely move.

My head pumped and throbbed and banged, and my whole body felt like someone was piercing through it with knives. My throat was worse; jellyfish stabbed and stung it with their tentacles and fire ripped through it like I'd set it with lighter fluid.

When I reopened my eyes, the world was shifting and re-shifting around; rocking and quaking like some jacked up kind of earthquake. Everyone's faces was in mine, making me even more confused. They wobbled and shook and would never stay in one place.

Then everything moved to slow motion. I fell to the side and then someone caught me. I heard my blood pump hard through my body, and the rain sounded extra loud. My breathing echoed through my ears and I finally stopped trying. I stopped breathing. My heart stopped pounding. My blood stopped pumping.

I died.

_Congratulations._

**REVIEW.**

**~SashaFierce12.0**


	6. Chapter 6

**I'm so sorry this took awhile to upload, guys! I've been cramming for exams and end-of-the-school-year things...I've been SO busy! Wow...Two weeks since I've updated. It feels like longer, huh?**

**Okay, before I get started...**

Violet Sunset x** - I'm going to start doing something at the beginning of the chapter so that I can keep you updated with my dates. Yeah, I agree, they DO jump around a lot! Sorry, I'm working on it!**

CaPtain SpOcKettE **- I'm sorry if it came off as an attitude. Like, really, I am. I didn't mean to come across like that. I just remember when I was writing, I was kind of ticked off at my sister for stealing my favorite pair of earrings and then losing them...Yeah. That's still not an excuse, but, again, I'm SO sorry! I'll try not to do that again, and I hope that you'll still continue reading my story. Please? Hopefully you will, but I understand 100% if you don't want to anymore.**

TiGeRzYi **- Thank you so much for your straightforward review. Yeah, Jacob DOES need to 'man the hell up' and stop acting crazy. I totally agree. But that's why I'm writing this story! So you can see his progress.**

**Okay. I think I'm done with all my notes to people...Uhh...Anything else? Oh, yeah.**

**DON'T DO DRUGS! (Ha, ha, this is foreshadowing) **

**~SashaFierce12.0**

_November 30_

_ Travis,_

_ Yesterday was so beautiful. Cold, but beautiful. The sun came out and I enjoyed it by spending the day on the beach - just watching the waves and feeling sand run through my fingers. It was great. _

_ Remember that time we went to the pier and you dared me to jump off the dock and swim around in just my underwear? I caught myself thinking about it while I was at First Beach and I giggled. Then Embry, one of my friends, appeared at my side and called me 'crazy.' I just laughed even more and shoved him playfully. I think you'd like Embry. He's funny and nice...And cocky sometimes, but he's still so loveable. _

_ Today I am...__Content__. _

_ I love you,_

_ Leah_

Chapter Six

Jacob's P.o.V.

"Hey, Mom, remember that time when I was, like, four, and you chased me around the whole house with some dress clothes?" I grinned at her and she laughed.

"You ran out of the house in just your little underwear. I chased you down the whole block." She laughed some more and we continued sharing memories. The sunlit clearing we were sitting in brought back even more and we laid on our backs, staring up at the green trees.

"Hey, remember that time when we went to Disney?" she asked. I laughed and nodded.

"Best. Day. Ever."

0000000000000000000000000

Embry's P.o.V.

"He's not breathing. I can't hear anything," Seth stammered. He cradled Jacob in his arms and shook him. "Jake! Jacob, man, can you hear me?"

"What are you doing just sitting there? Get him to a hospital, or something!" I yelled.

"No. They won't do anything. Paul, run and grab Carlisle," Sam ordered. Seth's girlfriend, Precious, had already started CPR on Jacob. She was pumping as hard as she could on his chest now. Paul nodded and phased, running off in the direction of the Leech House.

"Why are you all of a sudden buddies with the bloodsucker?" I growled at Sam.

"Since he saved his life the first time. And the second when his ribs were cracked during the newborn battle," Sam answered.

"But what about everything that we stand for? We're not supposed to be friends. Or...Even _allies _for that matter!" I growled again. Sam frowned at me.

"This is not a discussion for now, Embry."

"Why can't it _be _now? My friend is sitting there...Dead? Dying? I don't even _know _and you're telling me that-"

"He's breathing!" Precious yelled. "But barely. Jacob? Jakey, can you hear me?"

"Where the hell is Paul?" Sam growled. He huffed and hoisted Jacob onto his back. "Someone call an ambulance. Now!"

"Jacob, _breathe_!" Precious screeched. She started pumping on his chest again and then pressed her mouth to his.

0000000000000000000000000000

Jacob's P.o.V.

"We had to _drag _Rebecca on Tower of Terror. She practically peed her pants when we were on it, though," I laughed. Mom giggled and squeezed my hand, leading me through the sunlit forest.

"But in the end, she ended up having fun," Mom said. I nodded.

"Yeah." I looked down at myself and noticed I seemed to be fading. I let go of Mom's hand and stared all over myself. I was fading out. "Mom-"

"Shh. This is...This is good. It means that you're not..." She bit her lip.

"But I don't want to leave! I want to stay with you!"

"I know, baby." She sighed and looked over my fading body. "I know."

"I...Just a few more minutes...?" I pleaded with my body to stay 'dead' for a few minutes more like I used to do to my parents when I was little. Back then, it was so I could finish the rest of that cartoon that I was dying to watch.

"Jakey, don't fight it," Mom said sadly. "It just...Wasn't time, I guess." I looked back down at myself, then noticed that I was filling back in. Should I be excited? Sad? Mad? "Or...Maybe not...?"

Seth's P.o.V.

"We're losing him!" one of the paramedics yelled. Precious and I were running alongside the gurney as they rushed into the emergency room. Carlisle came running down the hallway, asking quick questions and barking orders.

In the hospital room, another doctor counted to three and then lifted Jake to another bed, hooking him up to machines so fast, it was almost a blur.

"Blood pressure is...sixty-four over forty...It's dropping!"

"What happened to this guy?"

"We need to keep pumping air into him. Don't stop!"

Someone pushed Precious down and I growled, picking her up.

"C'mon," I whispered to her. She resisted a little, still wanting to stay inside the room. "Let's _go_, Precious."

"No, Seth, I want to stay with him!"

"They obviously don't want us in here," I protested. After a minute I added, "He'll be fine." I finally pulled her out and into the waiting area down the hall. Rachel was walking around, chewing on her nail. Precious sat down and sighed, rubbing up and down her arms. I sighed myself and kissed her cheek, heading outside. I ran a hand down my cropped hair and leaned on the outside wall, running my hands down my face.

It was at times like these that I felt so helpless.

I slid down the wall and rested my head on my knees, still running my hands through my hair. I sighed and stood back up, doing the same thing with my hands again. My hand went to my pocket, where my keys were.

I had a stash at the house. If I phased, it wouldn't be-

No. I promised Precious. And myself. Never again. For Keithy, we said. For Keithy.

_But it _does_ calm you, _it spoke.

No. I'm not going back. _Never again_.

Fumbling for my wallet, I took out the picture I had of him. I held it tightly with my thumb and forefinger, staring into his little face. It was my fault why we didn't have custody of him right now. And now that we were so _close_...

_So? It feels _so good_..._

It was getting harder. I found myself staring at the stash that I kept in my room, fighting with all my might against the urge to just go and do it. Even right now, looking at his picture, I was fighting the urge. I'd slipped once this week, and now the cravings were coming back. I wanted so badly to just go and do it again; feel it seep into my body and make me feel good.

_ See? Just like I said. It feels _good_._

I stared into his face again, my thoughts wandering to what he looked like now. He'd be four soon.

"Seth!" Someone yelled, startling me for a minute. I jumped and then put the picture back into my wallet, stuffing it into my pocket. I turned and saw Precious. She nodded.

"They got him. He'll be fine. Dr. Cullen said he'd be okay."

Jacob's P.o.V.

Mom held my hand tightly as we stared out over the two paths in the forest. Both were lit brightly by the sun, with flowers and big trees. The one on the left was empty; that was Mom's. She pulled me towards it, but I looked at the one on the right. I saw Sam. And my Pack brothers. And Rachel and Dad.

And I saw Leah. She grinned at me and waved, her hands returning to the small bump on her abdomen. Sam beckoned me over.

"C'mon!" he yelled. I turned back to Mom, who gazed up at me with her big brown eyes. I looked at my hands, which were slowly fading again.

"Mom," I whispered.

"It's okay. Not your time. I know."

"I still-" She kissed my cheek tenderly, cutting me off.

"I know, baby. I know." She grasped my face with her hands and stared deep into my eyes. "I'll be waiting for you, okay? I'll _always _be waiting for you. Go to your brothers and your dad and sisters and your friends. I'll never leave you. I'll always be here. Forever." I nodded and kissed her cheek.

"Forever." She held my hand in both of hers and backed away towards the left path. She squeezed my hand again, smiling brightly, before turning and heading on her way. Her white dress flowed out behind her, her black hair falling in ringlets down her back. She turned to me again with a smile before continuing, heading into the light. She disappeared.

I backed up into my own; towards Sam and my brothers.

"Yeah! He's coming! I call dibs on hotdogs!" Embry yelled, his voice fading out as he disappeared. I caught up with Leah and she took my hand, leading me with them. We were contentedly silent as we walked into the light. It became brighter and brighter and then...

Leah's P.o.V.

I folded up my letter and placed it carefully into my purse alongside my pen. I turned back to Jacob and sighed as I watched him breathe slowly; in and out. I wondered what he was thinking about and found myself stroking his hand. Before I could stop myself, I was holding it and bringing it up to my mouth to place a kiss on his knuckles.

What the hell is wrong with me?

As the days go by, I always find myself wanting to be with him; wanting to talk to him. I hated it. Even though I wanted it _so bad_.

Right now, all these things aside, I just wanted him to wake up so I knew that he was okay. I couldn't take anymore of this right now. Not knowing if he was going to make it or not. I wanted him to. Everyone wanted him to.

That's when his thumb moved, running down my knuckles. His head rolled slowly to the side towards me and he opened his eyes. I moved my hand away and rested them on my lap, pursing my lips to keep from bursting with excitement.

He smirked at me and closed his eyes again, taking in a deep, wheezing breath. He gave out a dry cough and then relaxed. He opened his mouth a little, breathing through it at first, then he closed it. He opened his eyes again and stared at me.

"Hey, hey, hey, Sleeping Beauty," I joked. "Have a nice nap?" I smirked and he did, too, before closing his eyes once more and then opening them wider.

"I feel like shit," he murmured hoarsely.

"Really? Hm. You look like it, too."

"Good to know." I pressed the service button on the phone resting on the bedside table, only having to wait a few minutes before Carlisle came in. He said something to someone behind him and then closed the door. He smiled.

"He's awake!" he chuckled.

"And here I thought he was dead," I joked again, making Carlisle laugh.

"Gave everyone quite a scare, Jacob," Carlisle smiled.

"Yeah? I'll be sure to get them all 'sorry' gifts later," Jacob reached up and rubbed his eye.

"Do you remember what happened?"

"...I wish I didn't."

"That's good you do, though. Makes my job easier. Why don't you rest for awhile and we'll notify your family, alright?"

"Do you have to? The next thing I need is everyone in here yelling at me for how stupid I was." He rolled his eyes and looked around. "How long am I in?"

"Until I feel you're ready to leave."

"And that'll be...?"

"Depends." He glanced at me and gestured to the door. "Let's leave Jacob alone now, Leah."

"Okay. Later," I nodded at him and grabbed my things, standing up. He eyed my stomach for a second before nodding slowly back. He looked kind of sad, but it didn't show much.

"Get some rest. I'll be back soon," Carlisle said, closing the door behind us. I pulled on my coat and pulled my purse on over my shoulder. I wrapped my arms around myself.

"So he's really going to be okay?"

"Yes. But he's going to need a lot of counseling. This is a very serious subject."

"Knowing Jacob Black, he'll kick and scream and yell and growl until you get him out of it. He's going to _hate _counseling."

"I figured such," Carlisle smirked. "He does need help, though." He walked with me to the front entrance of the hospital. "I'll see you soon, Leah. Tell your mother 'hello' for me."

"I'll be sure to do that. Thanks." I waved to him and climbed into my car, driving back to La Push. I sighed and clenched the steering wheel tighter.

"So I guess he's all good, huh?"

"Yeah. Guess so."

"...Don't try to hide it, Leah. You're starting to like him."

"No I'm not. Okay, I don't hate him as much as before and of course I feel bad because of what happened, but I don't _like _him like that." I gripped the wheel tighter and knew by the silence that Travis didn't believe me. I glanced at the empty passenger's seat and then back out the window, yelping and screeching to a stop when I saw a big brown wolf in the road. It paused and stared at me before darting into the forest.

I rested a hand on my chest, feeling my heart throb inside. After taking a few deep breaths, I continued on to Sam and Emily's.

"Yeah, he's awake. First thing out his mouth was-"

"'I feel like shit.'" Sam smirked and I nodded, rolling my eyes with a small smile. "Yeah. That's Jacob."

"Hopefully he's out in time for Thanksgiving. It'd be weird without him inhaling all my turkey," Emily said, washing her hands. Precious paced the dining room, glued to her cell phone. She ran her hands through her newly dyed black hair, smiling and then frowning. She ran her fingers through her hair again and then stopped, her big doe eyes glossing over. She gasped a little and I knitted my eyes together, wondering what was going on.

"Hi, baby," she cooed. "Yeah..." She squeaked, wiping her eye, and then cleared her throat. "Yeah. Mhm. _Really_? That's great! ...O-okay. Bye-bye, honey." Her shoulders slumped. "Hey, Mom. Yeah. I know. Okay. Okay. For real? ...Yeah, I'll see you then!" She nodded. "Love you. Bye." She closed her phone and bit her lip, turning to Sam. "Where's Seth?"

"Here," my brother walked in and kissed her cheek. He turned to me. "Leah, if you hadn't looked up from the seat, you would've run me over."

"Why were you even in the road in the first place?"

"I got lost in thought and didn't realize where I was going," he murmured.

"So _technically _it's _your _fault. You should've been focused on patrolling."

"Well...You-"

"Uhuh. That's what I thought."

"Leah-"

"Seth, I gotta' talk to you." Precious pulled my brother out to the front porch. I watched through the window as she held his hands in hers and talked to him. He nodded and then she smiled, still talking. He grinned. She nodded when he shook his head and then squealed as he pulled her into a hug. He swung her around as he kissed her and then he set her down. Then she said something else and he nodded quickly before kissing her again. They were out there for a while longer before coming back inside. My eyes returned to the letter I was writing.

"You look happy," Sam laughed at my brother as he swung his arm around his imprint.

"Yeah? Well I am." He grinned at his imprint and kissed her cheek as she backed towards the door.

"I gotta' go, okay? See you later. I...I need to go get ready."

"Yeah." She waved at us before running out the door. I saw her jump and skip a few times, twirling around as snow fell softly to the ground. Sam, Emily, and I turned to Seth who stared happily out the window. He caught us staring and knitted his brows together.

"What?"

"What's going on?" I asked.

"Nothing." He sat down on the couch and pulled out his wallet, opened it, and then carefully took out a picture. I glanced at Emily before standing up to snatch it from him. "Hey!"

"Ooh, he's cute." I grinned, sticking my tongue out at him. He stood up and reached for it, but I held it away. Turning it over, I read the writing on the back. "'Keithy...Six pounds, three ounces.' Hm. Who's _Keithy_?" Seth looked out the window then behind me. I turned to Sam and Emily; Emily started chopping the lettuce harder and Sam stared back at my brother. "Who is this? Guys, I don't like being kept out of the dark." Sam raised an eyebrow and leaned towards Seth.

"Tell her," he said in a 'duh' voice.

"'Tell her' what?" My eyebrows knitted together. I turned back to Seth, who was rocking back and forth on his heels. He stopped suddenly and turned to me. His hand shook.

"He's my son." With that, he took the picture back and walked out the door.

**I know that this is really short, but I think that it was best to end it here. I'm starting to really, really like cliffhangers! **

**Okay, so I'll try harder to update sooner, guys, okay?**

**So...Review! PLEASE!**

**~SashaFierce12.0**


	7. Chapter 7

**Okay, I know that at the beginning of the chapter it said 'November 30' and then I was talking about Thanksgiving. Honestly, that was a huge mistake on my part, so just roll with it, okay? I'm getting back on track with it now so it should be fixed in this one. So just...Disregard. Okay? Okay.**

**Ooh, and I bet you're all wondering about Seth and Precious. My story is like...Almost like four stories in one. So just stay tuned and everything will be explained.**

**~SashaFierce12.0**

_Session One. Jacob Black. 12/5/12_

"Tell me, Jacob."

"Tell you what, Leech?"

"Why...Why did you try to kill yourself the other day?"

"...Because."

"'Because' why?"

"Because I wanted to see her again."

"And who is 'her', Jacob?"

"My mom."

Chapter 7

Jacob's P.o.V.

"Okay. I'm walking. I'm up. I'm talking. I eat. I sleep. I drink water and all the other crap you guys give me. Can I _please _leave now?" I asked Carlisle.

"No. Not yet. I have to-" He was cut off when I groaned.

"What _else _do you have to do that is so important?"

"Jacob. Yesterday night, you died. Seth's imprint revived you, and then you were gone again. That happened a total of five times before you were finally stabilized. Jacob, you can't just _leave_."

"Well...Can I go home and then you can do those check up things on me once in a while? I hate it here."

"I can't just let you off that easily. I want to keep you here a few more days; just to play it safe. Now, is your throat still sore?" he changed the subject and stuffed his hands into his lab coat pockets. I just groaned and sat back on the bed.

If you can't beat 'em...

"Yeah."

Seth's P.o.V.

Precious gasped when her mom helped a little boy out of the car. She grinned at us and Keithy tottled over to her.

"Mommy!" he exclaimed. Precious caught him in her arms and swung him around.

"My baby! Oh, you've gotten so _big_!" she squealed. She sniffed and turned to me. Keithy hid in Precious' hair and covered his eyes. Then he removed them quickly.

"Boo!" he shouted, and then laughed. I chuckled and Precious handed him to me.

"Hey, you," I said.

"Hey, you!" he repeated, touching my nose. I smiled and looked into his eyes before holding him close and giving him a hug.

"Little man!" I laughed.

"I'll be big soon! I'm gonna' be _four_!" He pulled away from me and held up five fingers. I fixed them and he stared at his fingers, wondering how I'd done that.

"Four," I sighed. His black hair was stuck up at the top of his head, making it look like he had a little Mohawk. I brushed it down, but it sprang back up again. His eyes were like mine; big and brown. He had Precious' smile and nose though.

Keithy had grown so much. It was hard to believe that almost three years had gone by. But I was allowed to see him. I could hold him. I could watch him grow through pictures and in person.

Precious took him from me and kissed his cheek. He nuzzled into her neck and stayed there; obviously happy to be in his mom's arms again.

"Let's go inside," I said, and they followed me into the house. Glenda, Precious' mom, greeted my mom with a huge hug and kiss on the cheek.

"Sue!"

"Hi!" They pulled away and were immediately engrossed in a conversation.

"Hey, we're going to take him out for a while," Precious said, setting Keithy down.

"Alright. But don't keep him out too late, okay?" Glenda said. My girlfriend nodded and took Keithy's hand, leading him out of the house and down the front stairs. He let go of her hand at the last one, though.

"Watch me!" he said. He jumped from the last one with a huge grin on his face. "Ta-da! See? All by myself!"

"Whoa! You're good!" Precious said. Keithy took her hand again and then looked up at me.

"Daddy?" He stretched his hand up for mine and I took it, feeling warmth and love course through my veins. It'd seemed like forever since I held his hand. This feeling was something that I hadn't felt in a while.

"One, two, three!" Precious counted, and we swung Keithy into the air as he laughed.

"Whoa!" he exclaimed, still laughing. I laughed, too, and grinned. Precious smiled at me and then turned back to our son. We walked normally again as he babbled on about a new toy he'd gotten from his grandma.

"Do you think the snow'll stick?" he asked, looking at the small snowflakes that fell from the sky. He blinked them out of his long lashes. Precious stopped and squatted in front of him, pulling his scarf a little tighter, straightening his jacket, and caressing his rosy cheeks with her gloved hands.

"If you believe it, it'll happen."

"Then we can build a snowman. A big...Ginormous...Mega one!"

"Yeah, whatever you want, baby."

"Daddy, you'll help, too, right?" Keithy looked up at him.

"Yeah. 'Course," I smiled.

"We'll build it together," he said. I patted his head and leaned down and kissed it.

"Mhm. The three of us."

We continued walking through the neighborhood. Keithy talked all about his new PSCD teacher and how she'd made them all cookies with pumpkin faces on them for Halloween.

"They were good! I got another one, too. I asked Gramma if I could save some fo' you guys, but she said that maybe I could make some all by myself for you. She said it would be better!"

"I think they would," I nodded.

"Hey! I got a light bulb!" Keithy said, bouncing up and down. "We can all three of us make them _together_! That would be the best!"

"I think it would, too, sweetie," Precious nodded. We took him to a park, where he instantly ran to a merry-go-round. Precious giggled and tugged on my arm, pulling me towards him. It was already spinning and Keithy was laughing and then cheered when Precious hopped on.

"Make it go faster, Dad!" Keithy yelled. I rubbed my hands together and then spun it. Once it was almost a blur, I hopped on. "The whole entire big wide _world _is spinning! We're goin' _mega fast_!"

"No. It's _super _mega fast!" Precious protested, throwing her head back. Her hair flowed out around her, and her smile reminded me of Keithy's.

"Oh, no! If we go faster, we might spin all the way to the _moon_!" Keithy yelled.

"What? The _moon_?" Precious yelled back.

"Yeah!" Keithy nodded and the two looked at each other before screaming at the top of their lungs.

"Let's do it!" I yelled. I jumped off and spun it faster then I got back on again.

"Here we go!" Keithy laughed. "Up, up, and away!" We laughed and spun for a while more, finally staggering off and falling onto a heap on nearby bench. Keithy stood up again and spun once before falling. "Whoa, whoa, _whoa_. I think my brain got spinned loose."

"Mine, too," I laughed, shaking my head.

"Tell the world to stop moving!" Precious giggled. Keithy stood up again and turned his head up towards the sky, sticking his tongue out.

"Watch me catch snowflakes on my tongue!" he said. "I got one!" He grinned and jumped up with happiness.

"My turn!" Precious stood up and twirled around with her eyes closed. She jumped back into place and gazed down at our son. "Ooh! I got one, too!"

"It tastes good, huh?"

"Yeah! Like...Sweet ice crystals!"

We took both of Keithy's hands and started a walk down the neighborhood.

"I got a friend named Crystal," he said.

"Yeah?" I asked, looking down at him.

"Uhuh. She's the bestest." Precious winked at me and looked down at him, too.

"So is she your _girlfriend_?" she asked slyly.

"Yeah," Keithy answered simply. I laughed and Precious raised her eyebrows. "I gave her half my tuna sandwich at lunchtime. And then she gave me half her Oreo. We share all the time."

"So she's really nice, huh?" I asked.

"Yeah." He looked up at me and smiled. "She once this time let me take her turn on the swings 'cause she said I was the cutest boy at school."

"Ooh," Precious ruffled his hair. Keithy told us more about Chrystal and I'd smile and nod and laugh at the right parts. When we came up on our house, Mom and Glenda were on the front porch sipping some kind of steaming liquid out of mugs. Glenda waved to us as we came up.

"Gramma!" Keithy ran to her and latched himself onto her leg.

"Hey, handsome man. Did you have fun?"

"Yeah! We had the bestest time!" Keithy nodded. Glenda smiled at Precious and I.

"Thanks. I know that you two had fun also, right?"

"Yeah. The _bestest _time," Precious laughed and tweaked Keithy's nose. Glenda turned back to Mom.

"Oh, Sue, I had a wonderful afternoon. Thank you so much."

"Anytime, Glenda. You can come down anytime you want. I love having you over." She took the mugs and set them on the railing. "Give me a hug, Keithy." She wrapped our son in a huge hug with kisses all over his cheeks and forehead. "I'll see you real soon, got that?"

"Got it!" Keithy nodded and Mom set him down after one more kiss on his forehead. I sighed and watched him take his time jumping down each and every stair. Precious was already at the car with the door open. She looked like she was trying not to cry, but she was still grinning a mile a minute.

When he hopped down the last step, I picked him up and kissed the top of his head.

"I'll see you real soon, 'kay, bud?"

"Okay! I love you, Daddy."

"I love you, too, Keithy." I gave him one last long hug and planted another kiss on his forehead. "Be good for Gramma. Have fun in Canada. Eat some bacon."

"Bacon!" Keithy laughed and I high fived him before setting him down. As soon as his feet touched the ground, he took off running towards Precious. She caught him in her arms and swung him around. She whispered things into his ear and he nodded into the crook of her neck.

"Let's have one last picture. And I'll send it to Glenda so Keithy can have it," Mom said, coming down with her camera. Precious wiped her eyes and smiled with a nod. I wrapped my arms around her and she held Keithy in her arms. I laughed as the two made funny faces and Mom giggled, too, taking the picture. "There we are." Precious kissed Keithy's cheek again and tightened his scarf. "Have a safe trip, you two! See you soon!"

"See you soon! Bye! _Real _soon. 'Kay, Dad? Bye, Mommy!" Keithy yelled, waving out the window. Glenda waved and then started down the road. I watched as Keithy waved out the back window, blowing kisses. They disappeared and I sighed, cradling Precious in my arms.

I loved Keithy. With everything I own...All my heart and soul. It killed me when he had to leave or I had to leave. The court agreement was that I'd only ever be able to see him once a month. For only a few hours. Other than that, it was phone calls.

But the thing I hated the most was when I was away from him. Because when he was away, the cravings came back.

00000000000000000000000000000

Jacob's P.o.V.

Five days. Five. Freaking. _Days_.

But finally I was out. _Finally_ I was out.

When I got home, I wanted nothing more than to relax and forget about what had happened. But that was hard to do when that voice kept popping up every now and then. When Carlisle had done those..._Ugh_...Therapy sessions with me, I'd never once mentioned that voice.

There was no telling how long he would've kept me in the hospital then.

I noticed a new smell when I came up on my front doorstep. Not my own. Suddenly, I was on alert. I prepared myself to phase and quickly opened the door. Leah stood up from the couch and smiled at me, fingering with the ends of her hair.

"Don't kill me, wolfy," she joked. I looked around. The house was cleaned. It actually looked warm and loved. Green bins sat by the window and I smelled something cooking in the kitchen. "I decided to meet you here and make you dinner and stuff so, you know, you don't have to make it yourself the first day back."

"Leah-"

"Cookies are baking and I made honey barbecue chicken and mashed potatoes..." She walked into the kitchen and bent down to take something out of the oven.

"Leah-"

"I'll take out some-"

"LEAH!" I chuckled and she looked down, trying to hide her red face. "Thanks. Really. It smells good."

"So Rachel's really excited to have you back home. The guys, too. But I told them not to bother you so you could just...Think about things. You know, be alone for a while. I'll be leaving soon, so you can get started."

"No!" She turned to me, a confused look on her face. "I mean...You don't have to leave _yet_. I..." I smiled a bit and shrugged. "I like it when you're here."

"I...Set out Christmas decorations. It looked like the place could use some holiday cheer. I thought...Maybe once the food's all gone, we could...I dunno, decorate?" She set a pan from the oven on top of the stove and turned on the overhead fan. She then looked around the kitchen. "Plates..." She found them and huffed, seeing how high up they were. She stood on her tiptoes, stretching up to get them. When she did this, her stomach poked out even more, showing how big she actually was. Not _that _big, but you could tell she was pregnant.

Some of me was still jealous that it wasn't my baby she was carrying. I wanted to be the one to go to appointments with her and watch the baby grow and develop. I-

"Crap!" Leah dropped a plate and it shattered on the floor. "Holy crap, Jacob, I am _so _sorry. I'll...I'll pay for that." She frowned when I started laughing, holding my stomach and shaking my head at how cute she was.

"It's okay. Really. I have plenty. It's nothing."

"But, Jacob-"

"Leah. Really." I walked closer to her and placed a hand on her shoulder. "And it's Jake. Just Jake." Her big green eyes looked up at me and then she kind of shivered and moved away quickly. I resisted the urge to sigh and went to get a broom and dustpan.

At the time I leaned down to pick up the dustpan, Leah leaned down to pick up a large shard of glass. We bumped heads.

"Ow!" Leah yelped, and I just rubbed my head. "Oww..." We looked at each other for a few seconds, and I fought a smile. Leah bit down hard on her lip and then burst out with laughter. I followed soon after and felt the tension blow away between us.

After that, we couldn't stop talking. We talked about the most random things, too. Singers, politics...The bruise forming on Leah's head.

"Jake, I _swear_, it expanded, like, three inches. If I contract some deadly disease, I'm holding you responsible." She took a bite of mashed potatoes and laughed a bit.

"No. Leah, I really think it's fine."

"Sure..." She touched it lightly and then returned to her food.

When we were finished, we took out everything from the green bins.

"Where to start..." I murmured, clicking my tongue.

"How about here," Leah answered and took out the parts of the tree. "Put them together, Jake?"

"Sure." I put the tree parts together and then spread apart the branches. "Good?"

"Yeah. Put on the lights, and then get started on the ornaments. I want to do the rest of the house."

"But I don't have ornaments for the rest of the house," I frowned. Leah picked up a bin and shrugged.

"You do now." I chuckled and she began transforming my sad, cold house into a warm, welcoming home.

She placed greenery on the windowsills and a lighted wreath on the door. It was wrapped in shimmery red ribbon. She threw a knitted Christmas blanket over the couch and replaced the black throw pillows with red ones.

I finished putting on the last ornament and Leah gasped.

"Nice job, Jake," she complimented. "Definitely catalog worthy."

"Thanks." I carefully picked up the intricately made tree topper. It was a gold painted metal star, with swirly designs and a red glass ball in the center.

"You should do that. I don't want a replay of earlier." Leah rolled her eyes and smiled. I grinned at her and reached up, placing it on top. I stepped back a bit, pulling her with me. "Wow..." she breathed.

"I know, huh? Clearwater, we've outdone ourselves." I looked around the rest of the house and grinned a little wider. Leah sat down on the couch and continued gazing at the tree, her eyes glazed a bit. With her lips pursed together, she wrapped her arms around herself. "Leah." I sighed and sat next to her. "Leah?" I turned her gently so that she was looking at me. Her sadness was making me depressed. I couldn't take it. I wanted her to feel better.

I didn't ask it, but somehow she got my mental question.

"I...Every holiday for the past five years I spent with him. We were inseparable, Jake. I just...I never thought that it would all be taken away from me. You know what he said to me last year? He told me that he couldn't picture Christmas without me, and how he couldn't even remember what it was like before. I'd told him the same. Who would've thought that I'd have to live what it felt like so soon?"

"Leah, to be honest, I don't know what it would be like to spend Christmas without...Without you." My face turned hot and I clamped my mouth shut after that. But, stupid mouth, it seemed to have a mind of its own and I continued. "I mean, Lee, to me your super cool and it was really weird not having you around all those years. Like, not seeing you at my house for Christmas dinner, and stuff. You were always the one to tell the jokes and all the sarcastic remarks and do the pranks. I never admitted it, but I hated that. I mean, you not being there." I rubbed my face with my hand and scowled. "Gol_ly_, I sound stupid right now." Leah smiled at me.

"Not really. You're very...Cute," she said and nodded with a small shrug. "Thanks. You sure know how to cheer a person up, Jake." She punched my shoulder lightly and smiled again. "You remember...Back when we were arguing about who needed each other the most?"

"Yeah..."

"I've figured out that we both need each other. I always thought that I hated you, but, I've realized that whenever I'm with you, I forget about everything's that happened in the past. I...Have fun. You're like the magic-mojo-medicine that helps me to feel better." I grinned widely, happy that she actually felt that way. This was a big step on our part.

"I feel the same way, Leah. Like, now. When I was on my way here, you wouldn't believe how depressed I felt. And when I opened the door and saw you, it seemed to wash away. Like you said before - you're like my 'magic-mojo-medicine.'" I smiled at her. Suddenly she laid down on my shoulder, which caught me by surprise. I looked down at her, but she was looking at the Christmas tree.

"Jake?" she asked after a little bit.

"Hm?"

"Do you think...Do you think they have Christmas in Heaven?"

"Dunno."

"Hm." A small smile graced her face. "I think I hear them singing sometimes."

"What?"

"The angels. Every time something good happens. If I close my eyes and it's real quiet, I can almost hear their voices...Crazy, I know."

"No. Not crazy. You're just...Imaginative." Leah looked up at me and her green eyes glistened in the lights from the tree.

"Everyone else says I'm crazy, except you. No one else's described me like that, Jake."

"Well it's an honor to be your first." She smiled at me again and nestled more onto my shoulder. It was quiet, but a content kind of quiet. And, I swear, I heard them singing.

The angels.

Leah's P.o.V.

"Where've you been?" Seth asked when I came through the door.

"With Jacob. Spreading holiday cheer." I left it at that and took off my coat, welcoming the warmth of my house. Ever since the confession about the picture, I haven't said more than a few sentences to him. I don't know how he couldn't have told me. ME of all people.

Precious looked uncomfortable and kept bouncing her leg up and down. Finally, made an excuse about heading to work and left.

And then there were two.

Seth started wiping down the counters and I sat down on the couch to read. There was so much tension in the air, I was almost choking.

Around the third page, I realized that I'd been reading the same paragraph over and over again. Suddenly my brother was next to me, looking down at his shaking hands.

"I was fifteen. Me and a few friends had gone down to the beach one night, y'know, just hanging around. And then one of the guys introduces some of his cousins and there was Precious. One look at her and I knew that I imprinted. After that, we were inseparable. If you saw me, you saw Precious. And if you saw Precious, you saw me.

"So were just hanging here one night, and got kind of carried away. Mom walked in on us, and that started a huge fight between me and her. She wouldn't let me talk to Precious for weeks. I went to school, under watchful eyes of the Pack, and then I came back home. That was it. It was torture being away from her. Then one day...One day she caught up with me on my way home school. And she told me she was pregnant. I was so scared, like...I don't even know. I was just frozen. Jared and Embry were the ones watching me at the time, and they overheard. All hell broke loose after that.

"Precious' dad almost _killed _me. And her mom, who was living in Tacoma because of their divorce, even came down because she was that mad. Mom, she was heated, too, but tried to keep the peace. And when..." He got quiet and frowned at his quivering hands. "Well, the fighting went on for months. It was hard on everyone. We barely saw each other; Precious' dad had her practically on house arrest. I just remember looking out the window every day and wondering how she was doing, because I didn't know. That only...That only made my life harder than it already was at the moment.

"About five months in, she called me. But she was whispering. That's when she told me that she was expecting a little boy." He was silent and he quivered even more. He took in a deep breath and continued. "I couldn't take it anymore. I took her and we ran. We just left. I had only ninety dollars in my pocket, but I didn't care. It got us bus tickets back to Precious' mom's house, and we stayed there. Her mom wasn't mad, and she wanted to help us...Me..." He shook his head. "I started up my junior year, and on December the twenty-first...Keith Harrison Clearwater-Harris was born. It was the greatest day of my life. He was small, but the doctors declared him healthy.

"The next day, I called Mom. She didn't answer, and it went to voicemail. I left her a message that I was okay, told her where I was, and about her grandson. A few days later, she was at Glenda's doorstep. Precious' dad was there, too. It was hours and hours of yelling, and some crying...But then I finally yelled as loud as I could about how much I loved Precious and that I'd never leave her, or anything. That seemed to make them listen. That's when I introduced them to Keithy, and something changed. It was as if everything before had never happened.

"And then...Then he was taken away from us. He was only four months. Court orders was that we were only allowed to see him once a month, for only a few hours. It would be lifted if I...When they 'saw fit.' It was the worst day of my life. And you know what else, Leah? It was my fault. If I...If I hadn't mixed in with the wrong people in the first place, he'd still be with us. And we wouldn't have to go through this battle with custody and crap like that."

"Seth, what are you...Where are you getting at? What do you mean 'the wrong people?'" My book was on the next couch over, forgotten now. I put my hand on his so that the phasing tremors would stop. They didn't. "Seth, calm down. You might phase."

"I won't. That's...That's not the normal tremors. I love Keithy, but I don't like talking about him. It makes it worse, and I crave it even more."

"What? Crave what?" I frowned harder, trying to hide my worry for him. He shook his head. "Seth, I'm not mad at you. It's just...It killed me that you _lied _to me. Why didn't you just tell me when I first came? You thought up a whole lie about the tattoo and the imprinting and..." I stood up and tugged on my hair. "Seth...SETH!" I turned and stamped my foot. "You don't know how...How..." I sniffed and turned away from him. Then, quicker, I turned back. "We shared _everything_."

"Funny you should say that, Leah. If we shared everything, why didn't you tell me about you leaving."

"I-"

"You send me a box full of dream catchers and black and white pictures _five years later_," he said, his eyes narrowing. He looked up. "When you left, it was hard. Mom wouldn't stop crying. First it was Dad, and then it was you. I hated it.

"I drifted away from everything. I wouldn't talk to the Pack, Emily, Kim...Mom. Nobody. And then I got tied in with some guys...Did some stuff that I'll always regret. Hell, I'm still paying for it now." He shook a little more. "But even as I'm explaining this all to you, you can never really truly understand what I went through," he whispered finally. We stared each other down for a few seconds until I stood up and went to my room.

My brother and I had been so close. But, I guess, over five years, people can change.

He'd never really understand me, either.

Seth's P.o.V.

Tiredly, I scratched the back of my head and made my way downstairs. Leah and Mom were sound asleep, and I had been the only one who had heard someone knocking on the door.

Getting down the last stair, I slowed my footfalls, still half asleep. I sniffed once and finally made it to the door. I opened it and rubbed my eyes with the palms of my hands.

"What the hell? Don't you know-" My eyes focused and I saw who it was. "Conner?" My old friend looked anxious and bounced on the balls of his feet. He twitched uncontrollably and his eyes darted from side to side. His hair stuck out from all sides of his head and he looked older than nineteen. In other words, he looked terrible.

Fifteen minutes later, he was sitting at the kitchen table, wolfing down food as I watched him.

"Could you be any louder? My sis and mom are sleeping. They could hear you," I whispered sharply. He finished chewing the chicken I'd given him and swallowed. Wiping his mouth with the back of his hand, he looked me up and down.

"I leave you alone for a few years and this is what's happened to you? Damn it, Seth! You're a pussy," he said.

"Great to see you, too, Conner," I replied sarcastically. He leaned in.

"You got any of the goods?" he whispered.

"Not here."

"It's a yes or no question."

"Man, I'm still trying to get off the-"

"YES or NO?"

"...Yeah."

"Then let's have it. What are ya', stupid?" He took another bite of chicken and I went upstairs to my room.

It took only a few seconds to dig it up out of the bottom of my drawer. Seeing it made the cravings worse and I wondered if I'd be able to hold back or not.

Back downstairs, Conner practically ripped the bag out of my hands and in no time he was snorting it. I watched him, my fist shaking.

He looked up after a while and raised an eyebrow. He sniffed a few times and pressed on his nose.

"What are you waiting for? You gonna' take a hit?"

"I..."

"C'_mon_."

"Conner-"

"Really, Seth?"

"But Precious-"

"Don't tell me you're still with that bitch." I growled and shot up out of my chair, gripping his arm in mine.

"You take that back."

"Well, damn. I'll take it back." He slid the pile of white stuff towards me once I'd sat back down. I stared at it, resisting the urge to get right to what I wanted to do. "You know you want to. Hurry up or I'm gonna' do it all by myself." It was quiet as my heart did battle with my brain.

_You've gone this long without it. You can go a little longer._

**But it's **_**so good**_**. **

_Keithy. And Precious. Your imprint. Think of her. Think of your kid._

**Just this once. How bad could it be?**

I slowly reached for it then pulled it towards me. I stared down at it again.

**That's it...**

_But you're SO CLOSE! Keithy will be with you again and then you all can be a _family_. _

I froze, thinking about what my heart was telling me.

_"_Real _soon. 'Kay, Dad?"_

**Seth-**

I pushed the pile back towards Conner and shook my head. I handed the rest of the bags to him and stood up.

"Leave. I'm not doing this." He shrugged, stuffed the bags into his pocket, and then stuck a chicken leg in his mouth. He pulled it out when he was at the door.

"Whatever, man. You know where to find me if you change your mind." He stuck one foot out the door and then turned back around. "_When_ you change your mind." He nodded once and disappeared into the cold December night.

**There it is! The next chapter should be up real soon. And PLEASE review this time! I know that you guys are reading it, I see my chapter stats. I mean, that review button is too sexy to pass up! Picture it as...Booboo Stewart and if you click it, you'll get a free day with him! IMAGINE! I mean, I only got ONE review last chapter. I do appreciate it **brankl1**, but I want at **_**least **_**two or three. Maybe more...? Please? I gotta' hear your feedback!**

** ~SashaFierce12.0**


	8. Chapter 8

**Thank you everyone for reviewing! I'm so glad you heard my plea! Oh, and **Team Seth. Leah and Jake**...I love you! Guys, be sure to check out her story **Commitment**. Review it or add it to your favorites so she can update! She LIVES for those!**

**~SashaFierce12.0**

_December 24_

_Hey, Boston Boy,_

_ Merry Christmas! I wish you were here right now. The house smells so amazing; cookies and cake and eggnog and hot cocoa...All the stuff that you love, right? _

_ I can feel our baby growing every day. I watch her in pictures and at the doctor's office. She's gonna' be so beautiful. Like you. Just like you. _

_ Today I'm joyful. 'Tis the season, right? _

_ I love you. Forever,_

_ Leah_

Chapter Eight

Leah's P.o.V.

I don't know what it was, but the hot air between me and my brother seemed to fade away overnight. I'd never really understand him and he'd never understand me, but we could never let that come between us. We were Leah and Seth. Seth and Leah. The Tenacious Duo. There could never be just one of us. It wasn't right.

"Holy crap, I'm _huge_." I twirled around in front of my mirror and Mom just laughed.

"You're actually pretty small for four months," she shrugged. I scoffed.

"If this is small, I'd hate to see your definition of _large_. No more cookies for me."

"Aww, c'mon. It's Christmas. No one cares how big or how tiny you are. It's all about _family_." I sighed and turned to the side, still facing the mirror. The bump on my stomach really wasn't _that _big, I guess. But it looked big when I put on my clothes.

Mom left my room and I went to Seth's, rummaging through his drawers for something that I'd want to wear. I sang silently to myself as I picked up shirts.

"_When it snows, ain't it thrillin'? Though your nose, gets a chillin'..._" I pulled out a flannel button-up, and put it on over the shirt I already had on. It instantly warmed me up even though our house was already warm. It smelled like my brother; pine, the ocean, and a hint of fabric softener. "_Walkin' in a winter wonderland..._" I patted my belly once for good measure and skipped out the room and to the stairs.

When I was at the bottom, I saw a man. He was laughing with my mom as she told him something. Then I saw Jared and Kim, Rachel and Paul, Emily and Sam, and Claire. She was sitting next to my cousin and laughing at something that Precious was saying. Seth was at the dining room table with my mother, laughing with the same man.

"Leah! I got you something!" Claire jumped up and held out an object wrapped in green paper. "Merry Christmas! You can open it now. Go on!" She squealed.

Someone obviously had too many sugar cookies.

I smiled anyway and carefully took the paper off, revealing a box. I opened the box and I saw a beautifully made hair ornament. There was also a beaded bracelet that coiled around like a snake. I reached for the hairpiece first and smiled wider.

"Wow, Claire. These look...Expensive."

"Oh, please." She rolled her eyes and giggled again with a small jump. "I made them!"

"No you didn't! Really? Oh, my gosh, they're beautiful!" This only made my smile get bigger and I hugged her. "I don't have anything to wear this with now, but I'll put on the bracelet. It's too gorgeous to put away." She nodded and jumped up again before going back to Emily. I put the hair ornament into my room and came back out, resting my hands in my back pockets.

I moved slowly, not wanting to interrupt anyone in their conversations. Pursing my lips together, I was only half in the room before the doorbell rang.

"I'll get it!" I announced - even though I'm sure no one heard me - and ran to answer it. "Hey, Billy. Hi, Jake. You guys know you can just walk in, right?" I moved to the side so that Billy could roll himself inside. Jake came in with his hands casually in his pockets. He nodded at me.

"Hey." I shrugged.

"Hey." I smiled and flipped my hair over my shoulder. "You want something to eat? I'm almost positive that there's something in the kitchen." He shrugged.

"Sure."

In our kitchen, I snuck a pie from the cooling rack and then hoisted myself up onto the counter. He leaned on it next to me and we shared the pie, not even bothering to cut it; just using our forks.

I laughed as he explained the story of what he had done when he was little.

"Really?" I giggled.

"Yeah. I sat behind the tree and waited to watch Santa come down our chimney. I ate gummy worms and Oreos to keep myself awake."

"Jake..." I shook my head at how stupid he had been.

"But here's the best part..."

Seth's P.o.V.

I kissed the top of Precious' head and wrapped my arms tighter around her as Rachel continued to talk.

"He was so nervous about it," she said. She glanced up at Paul who rolled his eyes with a small smile.

"Aww..." Precious cocked her head.

"Yeah. 'Aww...'" I mocked, smirking at my brother. "Paul? Nervous? Sure. That'd be the day when Precious doesn't dye her hair another exotic color." I said, kissing my imprint's dark red hair. She slapped my arm and Rachel laughed.

"Oh, but he was. I had to finish it for him."

"What?" Precious sat up. "But that ruins the whole _concept _of the proposal. It's supposed to be...Romantic."

"And it was. In a...Weird, Hollywood comedy kind of way," Rachel retorted.

"How'd it happen?" Precious asked.

"Rach..." Paul shook his head.

"Oh, c'mon, Pauly, I'm only telling my dear friend," Rachel waved her hand at him. "Okay, so I came home from work and then I smelled something terrible. And here's Paul, cowering behind the counter because the chicken had set on fire on the stove."

"He burned down the house?" I asked.

"Oh, please, that is _not _what-" Rachel shushed her imprinter and continued.

"So I battled those flames like there was no tomorrow. And then he stood up and stared into my eyes with awe. He was all 'Wow, Rach-'" She made her voice go all deep and did her best to sound like Paul. "'That was amazing. How do you do all that?' And then _I _said 'Well I don't know, Pauly, I guess it's just a natural born talent'. And then he turned all red and reached into his pocket and pulled out a black velvet box. He held it out to me and got on one knee and said 'Rachel, you're the coolest person I've ever met. You're an amazing lawyer, you can cook a badass chocolate-raspberry vanilla cream trifle cake, and you fight fires like I've never seen anyone fight a fire before. Now would you...Would you...Do me the honor of...Would you...' I laughed and got on one knee, too, and took his hands. 'Of _course _I'd marry you. But only because you won me over with the compliment of my badass chocolate-raspberry vanilla cream trifle cake.'" She looked up and sighed. "Yeah...Beautiful, isn't it?"

Precious and I looked at each other before bursting with laughter.

"Okay. How'd it _really _happen?" I asked.

"That's how it happened!" Rachel whined.

"No it's not. She came home, I burned dinner, and in the midst of the flames I got down on one knee and asked her to marry me. Then Rachel and Paul lived happily ever after. The. End," Paul said.

"Yeah. That's how I pictured it," I nodded.

"My story was _so _right!" Rachel pouted.

"No it wasn't, Rach. How I explained it is how it really happened."

"No it's not."

"Yeah it is."

"_No _it's _not_."

"...Yeah it is."

"No it's-"

"Can we just all come to the consensus that nobody will ever know the true story of how Paul asked Rachel to marry him? It's easier that way," I finally said. "All in favor say 'I'."

"I," Paul and Precious said at the same time with raised hands.

"All opposed...!" Rachel raised her hand and looked around.

"Majority rules. The 'I's' have it!" Precious announced. Paul and I high fived with small cheers. Rachel shot us all the bird and pouted again as the doorbell rang. I stood up and stood up to answer it.

"Dad!" Keithy ran towards me and I caught him as he jumped into my arms.

I was shocked. Precious and I had had our time with him for the month. He wasn't supposed to be back until New Year's.

"Mommy!" Precious grabbed him from me and swung him around.

"My baby!" she cooed. I turned back to Glenda who held a small packet in her hands. She held it out to me and I took it, flipping through the pages.

"Is this...?" I looked back up and felt small tears prick at my eyes.

"Yep. The custody papers. He's yours. Merry Christmas." My smile grew as Precious hugged me and squealed. "His things are at George's, Precious. Spend as much time with him as you'd like."

"Really, Mom? No kidding?" she asked. Glenda shook her head.

"We're a family now, Mommy," Keithy said to her. I brushed his cheek with my thumb.

"We always were, kiddo," I whispered. Precious handed him back to me and hugged her mother. "Come in, Glenda. I guess it's more of a celebration party now than a Christmas party."

"Oh, no, I couldn't intrude. Besides, I only came by for George. We're going to our own Christmas party tonight." She said.

"Dad...?" Precious looked into the house, but George was already out the door. He pecked Precious' cheek and patted Keithy's head.

"See you guys soon. Merry Christmas." Precious, who still looked confused, gave them both hugs.

"Merry Christmas, Daddy. Merry Christmas, Mom." She hugged them.

"You guys have a great time, okay? We'll see you again on New Year's." Glenda waved to us from her car and George got into the passenger's seat. They waved again before driving down the street. Keithy wriggled himself out of my arms and ran down the walkway, waving and calling his goodbyes.

"Bye, Gramma! Bye, Grandpa! Merry Christmas! Real soon, 'kay?" He was still waving even though the car had disappeared. He ran back to me and hopped into my open arms. He hugged me and Precious looked down at the custody papers. She slowly looked up at me and I raised my eyebrows and grinned. She laughed and hugged me as tight as she could.

I planted a long kiss on her cheek and then on Keithy's.

"We did it!" she squealed, then pulled away. "_You _did it. I'm so proud of you." She hugged me again and I breathed in her fresh scent.

I had. I did. And I'd actually done something good for a change. Keithy was back with us because I stayed strong...Even though my head told me to go back, I didn't. I'd stayed strong.

I could truly say that I was clean.

And it was because of the two people I loved most in the world.

**Really short, I **_**know**_**. But, honestly, I couldn't think of anything else to write. And everything that I added, it seemed not to tie in to this chapter. So, yeah. It ended at Christmas Eve when Seth and Precious gain back custody of Keithy! YEA! WOO-HOO! **

**You know what to do. Click that sexy review button, and, well, review. Oh, and also, if you'd be so kind, add me to your story alerts and favorites! It'd DEFINITELY make my day!**

**~SashaFierce12.0**


	9. Chapter 9

**Yea! Chapter Nine! Thanks so much for the reviews, guys!**

** Before I start...**

brneyez **- Mysterious man? I think you'll figure it out along the way...**

** Without further ado, let's get on with the story!**

**~SashaFierce12.0**

_Session Four. Jacob Black. 1/3/13_

"How close to you with your mother?"

"Who needs to know?"

"I do."

"We were close."

"_How _close?"

"Close enough that it almost killed _me _when she died that afternoon. She was...She wasn't just my mom. She was my best friend."

Chapter Nine

Leah's P.o.V.

"Do you like to sing?"

"Yeah."

"What kinds of songs?"

"Lots."

"I got to sing in my school. We sing _ev_ery day," Keithy told me, playing with my hands. I smiled.

"Wow, really?"

"Uhuh. Did you sing at your school?"

"A little. But I didn't do it all the time because no one knew I could sing."

"That's funny. If you like to sing, then I think that...Everyone in the whole big entire world _universe_ gotta' know." He looked up and smiled at me and I cooed and hugged him.

"You're a sweetie, Keithy."

"Rhyme!" he announced, making me laugh again. It's been few days since my brother and his imprint got their son back. They spent Christmas with us, and Keithy lives at Precious' house. Seth's always smiling and never seems to stop. His son has that much of an effect on him.

Mom had gone over to her friends' house and Seth was in the kitchen making something for dinner. Precious was...I don't know where she was at the moment, but she wasn't here.

"Where's my mommy?" Keithy asked, twisting the ring around on my finger.

"I don't know, sweetie."

"This is a pretty jewelry." He touched the ring lightly. "It's shiny! And sparkly, too." I sighed and nodded.

"Sure is."

"Did Dad give it to you?"

"No."

"Then who?"

"...An old friend."

"Are you gonna' get married? 'Cause Chrystal says that's what rings do. They make people get _married_."

"I was supposed to get married. But it's not gonna' happen now."

"Aww...No wedding?"

"I don't know, baby. Maybe someday." I sent him a sad smile and looked out the window at the white, white world. It'd snowed overnight and it was entirely white out there. It was getting a little dark, but it wasn't pitch black yet. It would be soon, though. I hoped Mom would get home safely.

Seth came back inside, talking on his cell phone.

"I thought you'd be here..." He said. "...Yeah, I know. Okay, I _know_...But..." He stood up and sighed gruffly. He walked back into the kitchen and Keithy hopped off my lap to follow him. "Yeah, just...Hold on. Keithy, I'm on the phone right now, 'kay, bud?"

"Okay! I'll go back and play with Aunty Leelah!" He hopped back onto my lap and we began a game of Concentration.

"Let's play-" Clap-clap-clap. "Concentration." Clap-clap-clap. As we played, I kept one ear on my brother. I felt bad for eavesdropping, but I couldn't help it. He sounded mad.

"Yeah. Yeah, o_kay_. I haven't! I swear, I haven't..."

"Category is-" Clap-clap-clap. "FOOD!" Keithy announced.

"Teriyaki chicken," I said.

"Gramma's cookies!" he laughed.

"Hamburgers."

"_Cheese_burgers." We went back and forth, naming different types of foods. I started talking a little louder when Seth started getting louder, though. I didn't want his son to hear him yelling.

"No, _listen to me_. I'm telling you I'm...Why don't you believe me?"

"Grapes!" I said loudly.

"Strawberries!" Keithy said back.

"Ham...!" I sighed quickly, I'd almost repeated a used word.

"Chicken!"

"Yeah, yeah. You know what?" He came back into the room, watching us play. "I'm done arguing with you, Precious." He turned back around. "No. Not with...You see? You _always _do that. All the time. You twist my words into something that I..." He turned back to me and knitted his brows together. "Huh? Wait...Precious, what are you...? Precious!" He pulled the phone away from his ear and stared at it in disbelief. "_Shit_."

"Hey!" I yelled, a little too late.

"Ha! I win! You did a hesitation!" Keithy cheered.

"No harsh language around the..." I stood up, holding Keithy in my arms. Seth looked frantic as he rushed around the house trying to find his shoes.

"You know what? Screw it." He ran out the house and I followed him, forgetting how cold it was for a second. Keithy shivered against me.

"SETH!" I yelled. "Where are you _going_?"

He didn't answer and continued running as fast as he could down the road.

000000000000000000000000000

Jacob's P.o.V.

I skidded to a stop, and my tires screeched as I watched the scene unfold in front of me. A big truck - six wheels - lost control and turned sideways, sliding down the road. I jumped out of my car, as did almost every other person on the road did there's.

My breath came out in big puffs as I stared at the truck barreling down two cars. One of them, the person hopped out. In the other one, a woman dropped her cell phone and tried to get out of her seatbelt. She wriggled and squirmed but wouldn't move.

"Hey! _Hey_!" someone yelled, waving his arms. He began running down the road, slipping a few times on the ice. The stuck woman in the car looked up just as the truck's shadow crossed her face. She saw me, and my hear dropped.

Precious.

She looked so scared. And then the truck slammed into her car and they both slid down the hill.

I was frozen.

It was a major déjà vu.

My legs began moving before my mind did, and I ran down the hill. I slipped a few times and I may have twisted my ankle, but I didn't care.

Over the hill, I saw a fire. From the truck. It'd spread to the other car. The truck driver was laying on the ground, and he wasn't moving.

I ran down the hilly road and slid to a stop at Precious' wrecked Toyota.

"Precious!" I yelled. Then I saw her arm sticking out the window. It was upside down, and I had to move fast. The car was crushing her.

I pulled the car up with all my strength and was able to pull her out. The side of her head was bleeding and her whole left arm was burned from the truck's fire. She had other cuts, too, but I checked to see if she was breathing.

I placed my finger under her nose and sat real still.

I felt it. It was barely there, but she was breathing.

"Someone call 911!"

"They're already on their way!"

"Is he alive?"

"Sir, sir? Can you hear me?"

I felt someone touch my shoulder and was greeted with a frantic woman.

"Is she breathing? Is she okay?"

"It's barely there. But, yeah," I answered.

"Jake!" I looked up and saw Seth and Quil running towards me. Seth stopped when he saw Precious and just stared, his mouth agape. Quil slid onto his knees beside me.

"Is she breathing?"

"Yeah." He lifted up her wrist and felt around with his forefinger and thumb.

"I can feel a pulse. But it's faint. Precious, you hear me?" he asked loudly. Seth knelt beside us, his face looked pained. He sucked in a breath.

"Precious. Baby, can you hear me?" he asked. She murmured something and I thanked the Lord she could. Suddenly there were sirens and then red lights were flashing all over the place as EMTs jumped out of ambulances with stretchers.

Seth was holding Precious now, his head near her face. He was whispering things into her ear and planting kisses on her cheek. Her hand twitched, but other than that, she didn't move.

Two of the EMTs headed towards our little group. Seth gave his imprint one last lingering kiss on the top of her head and let her go.

"Are any of you related to this woman?" one of them asked. Quil and I looked at Seth, who sniffed.

"No. But she's my girlfriend," he said quietly.

"You can ride in the ambulance. But I got to tell you now..." he paused to help his partner lift up the stretcher and then gave him a sorrowful glance. "She's not looking too good. But I'll assure you that we'll do all we can."

000000000000000000000000

Seth's P.o.V.

Almost all of Precious' right arm was covered with needles and wires. She had a breathing tube connected to her mouth and her burned left arm was covered with a plastic bag. It was charred. A white bandage covered a side of her head, too.

She looked like something out of a horror movie, but I couldn't leave her side. It was my fault she was like this. My fault she couldn't wake up right now.

I haven't left her for more than a few minutes, but even then, it was painful. She's been here for almost two days. I haven't been home at all.

A knock at the door made my head shoot up. Dr. Martinez walked in with his hands in his pockets.

"Someone's here to see her," he said. He turned around and nodded. Leah came in with Keithy running ahead of her. I stood up and caught him before he could run any further.

"Hey, kiddo," I whispered. He looked behind me and his face twisted up in fear and confusion.

"Mommy?" he whimpered. He squirmed out of my grasp and slowly walked to her bedside. He poked her face. "Mommy?" he whispered again. He turned to me, and the look on his face made me want to cry. "She's gonna' get better, right?"

I turned to Leah, and then to Dr. Martinez. He looked down then back up at me. I returned my gaze to my son, who stared down at her charred arm. He squeezed his shirt in one of his hands, the part where his chest was.

"...S-sure, Keithy," I finally choked out. "Yeah." I looked at Leah. "Take him out, please?"

"Okay. C'mon, sweetie." Leah reached out for his hand and Keithy took it with no question. His hand still clenched his shirt, and his head was down. He suddenly hugged her leg, squeezing it tight and not letting go. Leah looked back at me with pursed lips, then picked him up. He held her like a koala baby would its mother, and his eyes were squeezed tight. When I saw that he was crying as they left, my heart ripped in two.

Keithy never cried. Sure, when he was a baby he cried for some things, but other than that, he would never. I knew him. He wasn't like that.

"Why'd you lie?" I hadn't noticed that Jacob was here until now. I glanced at him.

"I...I couldn't tell him. Especially after the way he looked at me. I couldn't do it." I rubbed my face with my hands and sighed roughly. I felt a heavy weight on my shoulder and in my peripheral vision, I saw that it was Jake's hand.

"You need to go home. Get some rest. I'll stay here with her."

"No, Jake-"

"Go, Seth. Don't make me get Sam in here. I'll convince him to Alpha command you." He looked serious, so I kissed Precious' cheek and squeezed her good hand. Jacob took my spot when I stood up and then nodded once at me as I left the room.

I didn't expect the Pack to be in the waiting area, so when I saw them, they had kind of caught me by surprise. Kim, Emily, Farah, and Claire looked up at me with hopeful eyes. The guys all stood up as soon as I walked in.

"How is she?" Quil asked.

"...She's not waking up. Doc says she had some kind of a...Brain trauma, and they don't think she ever will. Uhh..." I tried to keep my voice from breaking, but it was hard. "They're going to do another x-ray soon."

"What about her arm?"

Damn. Always Quil with the questions.

"I don't know. But it's not looking too good." I shoved my hands in my pockets and looked at the ceiling, the ground...Anywhere but at the guys.

Suddenly, I felt...I don't know. _Something_. It was like...The craving was there. But it was very little. With every last bit of emotional strength I had in me, I pushed it to the back of my mind.

I sighed again and crossed my arms, still looking anywhere but at them. I chose to stare at the ground, and I noticed that my left leg was bouncing up and down.

That was never a good sign.

I glanced back up to where half of my brothers were staring at me and the other half was looking down the hall to where I'd come out of.

"They kicked me out so they could do an x-ray," Jake said, walking in.

"That's what they said they were gonna' do, yeah." I shrugged numbly and looked at him.

"You need sleep," Sam said out of the blue.

"No I don't," I glanced back down. Emily was in front of me then, using her forefinger and thumb she lifted my head back up and stared into my eyes.

"Yes you do," she said firmly. "You're going home and you're getting some rest. That's final." I didn't say anything, because no one - and I mean _no one _- argued with Emily Uley.

"You want a ride?" Sam asked. I shrugged and followed him out of the hospital to his car. I slid into the passenger's side and he started to drive.

Half of me wanted him to crash so that I could be with my imprint in whatever place she was right now. The other half didn't want him to crash. What would happen to my son if he did?

The ride back to La Push was silent, only the sound of the wheels on the gravel filled the silence.

Sam put his nudged my arm and I looked at him.

"Hm?"

"I was asking you if you were okay."

"Oh. Yeah."

"When was the last time you ate?"

"Dunno. But I did."

"Eat when you get home. And take care of Keithy; he didn't look as happy coming out the hall as he did when he was going down it." He pulled up in front of my house, where my kid was sitting on the front porch. He toyed around with the cape on the action figure we had got him for Christmas. But he wasn't as in to it. His legs were folded up to his chest and only his eyes were peaking out over his knees.

"Thanks." I nodded at my Alpha and got out. On the porch, I just gazed down at Keithy, waiting for him to make a move or something. He just moved the arm on the toy up and down - over and over again. After about two minutes of standing there, I held out my arms. He looked up at me then and then reached out for me. I picked him up and he held me the same way he did to Leah.

"It's okay, bud." I squeezed him tightly and kissed his cheek. "It'll be okay." I took him inside and sat down, cradling him in my arms and humming in his ear.

"What's gonna' happen ta' us?" he asked a little while later, looking into my eyes. We just stared at each other for the longest time until I pulled him closer to me and squeezed my eyes shut.

"I...Don't know," I whispered. I just didn't know.

0000000000000000000000000000

Leah's P.o.V.

"How's he taking it?" Jacob asked, watching me work in the kitchen. I took out a box of pasta and pursed my lips, opening the top.

"He doesn't talk much. But when I got to see her, it can only be for a few minutes."

"She's still in the ICU?"

"Yeah." I dumped the noodles into the boiling pot on the stove and turned back to Jake. "She's getting worse. Like, really bad. Blood pressure's dropping...And it seems like almost every time I go, the little waves on the heart monitor are lower. I think she's gonna'-" I stopped talking when my brother walked in from outside. He looked up and I noticed tear streaks on his face. He shook his head once, twice, then three times.

I gulped and looked at Jake again.

Precious was dead.

**Ugh...You guys seriously must hate me right now...**

**~SashaFierce12.0**

**P.S. REVIEW.**

**~SashaFierce12.0**


	10. Chapter 10

_Hey,_

_The house is so gloomy nowadays, y'know, 'cause my brother's girlfriend passed away. I feel so bad for him. 'Cause I know how it feels._

_Love, _

_Leah_

Chapter Ten

Jacob's P.o.V.

Everyone was either crying or looking sorry. It was so depressing, we might as well just all die.

Precious' mom and dad were sitting in the front, and Glenda was clutching her ex-husband's hand. Her head was down, but George's was up. I didn't know what their expressions were, but by the way Glenda's shoulders were moving up and down, I knew that she was crying.

Leah was sitting next to her brother, her hands on top of his. She whispered something to him, but he didn't respond in any way. Our eyes met for a second until she returned her attention back to Seth. Keithy was next to him.

Damn, he had to feel terrible. I instantly felt for him, because I'd been there. I'd lost my mom, too.

He rubbed his eye with one hand and sniffed and hiccupped. He knew his mom wasn't coming back. He understood. I just felt bad that she had left him when he was so still so young.

"Mo...m-my," he sniffed. I saw Seth tense. Keithy started crying more and I looked down, squeezing my eyes shut at the sound. It made me feel worse. I glanced back up and saw that Seth was holding him now; Keithy's head was laying on his chest. When the little boy didn't calm down, Seth stood up and carried him out of the church.

I hadn't seen his face all day and now I regretted it. He looked so tired and sorrowful. He looked like he hadn't slept in a while and his eyes were rimmed red. He didn't look at anybody, but everyone's eyes followed him as he walked out.

And, for some reason, he reminded me of me.

0000000000000000000000000000

"Hey, little man." I took a seat next to Keithy and leaned my elbows on my knees. He rubbed his eyes with both his hands and sniffed before looking at me. I gave him a smile and he kind of smiled back before turning back to look outside at the snow.

We sat there a while before he turned back to me.

"Uncle Jake?"

"Mhm?"

"Is my dad gonna' get dead, too?" he asked. I knitted my brows together.

"Why do you ask that?"

"'Cause Gramma's brother got dead, and then my mommy got dead, too." His eyes welled up with tears and he whispered, "Was I bad?"

"Keithy-"

"I promise I'll be good now. I won't be bad no more," he wiped his eyes again and started crying.

"Aww, man..." I pulled him onto my lap and waited for him to quiet down. "Keithy, you weren't bad, okay? Got it?"

"Mhm."

"All things happen for a reason." I stopped talking after that, thinking about my issue with my own mother. "And...God...It was in God's hands that this happened."

"God? How come He's so mean? How come He made Mommy get dead?"

"Because...He has something in store for you. He wants to show you that bigger and better things will happen. They..." I sighed. "They may not happen now, so you'll just have to be patient and keep an open heart." I smoothed down his hair. "You'll see your mom again, Keithy. You just gotta' be patient."

"Do I have to get dead?"

"No. Keithy, no."

"Then how?"

"Wait. Just wait." I kissed the top of his head. This was weird. I was giving advice on death to a four-year-old when I couldn't even live to the advice myself. Everything I said seemed to flow right out, and it seemed right. I wanted so badly to take the advice that I had just shared, but it just seemed hard at the moment. My mother had died six years ago and I still wasn't truly over it.

I glanced up from Keithy and saw Seth staring at me. When our eyes locked he kind of nodded and then looked down.

Other than soft murmurs from the Pack and imprints, it was really quiet in the Clearwater house. Precious' mom and dad hadn't come; they were at their own house.

Keithy had fallen asleep and I laid him gently on the couch so that I wouldn't wake him.

"That was good back there. What you told him." I looked up and saw Seth with his hands in his pockets.

"Oh. Yeah." I nodded. "Man, I'm-"

"I know. You're sorry."

"Really, if there's-"

"I got it. I know to call you." He shook his head, as if clearing it out. He reached up and rubbed his forehead with his hand, then the bridge of his nose. "Sorry. It's just...Heard it all before, y'know?"

"Right..." He rubbed his head again and kind of swayed back and forth. He looked really sick - like, out of it. I narrowed my eyes and cocked my head a little. "Kid, you okay?" I reached out my hand but he moved his shoulder away, his hand was on his forehead again.

"I'm good. Jus' tired..." His voice kind of trailed off as his hand shook and his legs gave out from under him.

"Whoa!" I reached out just in time to grip his arms before he hit the ground. The Pack jumped up just as he stood with a growl.

"Let _go_, I'm fine."

"You're obviously not."

"Just leave me alone." He took a step and then collapsed again. Sam and I had our arms outstretched but that only made him growl more. "I said _I'm fine_. _Leave me alone_." He whipped his head around and growled at me. I knitted my eyebrows together and took a step back as he jumped up.

He looked about ready to phase but then stopped short. He kind of looked around at everyone else staring at him then again at me. He clamped a hand over his mouth.

"Jake...Man, I'm sorry." I shrugged and took a step towards the door.

"It's fine. I know when I'm not wanted."

"Wait. It's just...I-"

"No. It's cool." I opened the door and put one foot out, but not before turning around to add, "I'm sorry for your loss."

000000000000000000000000000

Seth's P.o.V.

"What's that?" I asked, pointing at the picture Keithy was drawing. He sighed and continued after shrugging once.

"A picture," he answered simply. I narrowed my eyes and nodded, returning my attention to Glenda.

"It's a very pretty picture, Keithy," she said.

"Thank you," he answered quietly. I just stared at the woman, wondering why the hell I had to be here. I coughed once and she seemed to just then notice that I was sitting across from her at the kitchen table.

"Oh, Keithy, _honey_-" Her voice turned real sweet and a forced smile spread across her face. "Why don't you go to the living room and play with your Lego set? That sounds fun, doesn't it?" My son got up almost robotically and went into the other room. Glenda turned back to me and rubbed her hands together.

"How have you been?" she asked. I toyed with the edge of the paper that Keithy had used to draw and glanced at the wooden table.

"Fine, I guess. Yeah," I answered with a shrug.

"Oh..." she nodded and I cocked my head, my eyes narrowing.

"Why am I here?"

"So we can talk."

"About what?"

"Things. Business."

"What do you mean, b-"

"I want custody of Keithy."

000000000000000000000000000

Leah's P.o.V.

"Are you the brand-new-_permanent _teacher?" one of the fourth graders asked, his hand raised high in the air.

"No. I'm just your substitute for a little while. Until your regular teacher gets back," I answered, giving him a smile.

"I hope you're our new teacher. Mrs. Green is _mean_," a girl said. The room suddenly filled with shouts of agreement. I smiled, remembering how old Mrs. Green had been _my _fourth grade teacher.

I hadn't liked her very much, either.

"I think that our substitute is _pretty_," a girl said.

"Shanna, you think _everyone _is pretty," another one protested. Shanna just stuck her tongue out at her.

"How long are you gonna' be here?" a boy asked.

"I'll be your temporary teacher for about a week and a half," I answered with a smile.

"Yea!"

"Really?"

"No Mrs. Green for a whole week and a half!"

I laughed and placed a finger to my lips.

"Settle down now, guys." I turned to the board and wrote down 'Miss Leah'.

"Hey, I know your mom! She owns that diner," Shanna said.

"That's right. She does," I nodded.

"How come you don't want us to call you 'Miss Clearwater?'"

"Because 'Miss Leah' is much more laid back. If I had you guys call me 'Miss Clearwater,' then the other kids might think I'm some kind of mean old lady!" I answered, making the class giggle. "Okay, guys, let me get to know your names." I took out the roster and called each of the nineteen students by their first and last. In the end, there were two Trevor's (who, they had informed me, were 'sworn enemies), a set of twins - Austin and John - and five people with the same last name (they were cousins).

Until lunch, I let them work on homework and talk. We also read aloud a few chapters of the current book they were reading.

"'...Maybe, just maybe, I'll get a father,'" Susan read aloud. She squealed, along with some of the other girls. "Can we read some more, Miss Leah? _Please_? I want to know what happens next!" I laughed and shook my head, which made her pout.

"Sorry, little bookworms, but it's lunchtime. Plus, I don't want to get too far ahead. We'll just have to wait until tomorrow, okay?"

"Okay..."

"Alright. Class dismissed! I'll see you all back here in an hour."

"Bye, Miss Leah!" they exclaimed, running out of the classroom. I smiled and pulled out my own lunch. I stood up after a quick rub to my belly and made my way to the high school. All of the schools - primary, intermediate, and high - were in one big building.

High school wasn't out for lunch yet, but would be in a few minutes. Walking down the familiar hallway, I finally found the right room. After a quick knock, I opened it slowly, peaking in.

He was leaned over a desk, helping one of his students with what had to be a pretty difficult algebra problem. The other students were in small groups or by themselves, working on the problems written out on the board in his semi-neat handwriting.

"Mr. Black, someone's at the door," one of his students said, nodding at me.

"What?" He turned and gave me a smile. "Hey, Leah. Hold on, 'kay?" He held up a finger and turned back to his student, finishing up what he had started. He nodded and grinned, writing something down. Jake high fived him. "See? You got it." He stood and whistled once, making the class get quiet. "Nice work today, guys. Early lunch." He grinned and flicked his head towards the door. "Get outta' here."

"Whoo! Mr. Black, you're the _best_!"

"See you soon, Teach!"

"I call dibs on the football!"

When the class was emptied, Jake gestured to a computer chair. I sat down and he leaned on his desk.

"You seem to have the students on your good-side, huh?" I joked, pulling out some sandwiches. He chuckled and I handed him one. The door opened and a girl walked in.

"Mr. Black?" she asked.

"Eva! Hey," Jake answered after swallowing a bite.

"Yeah, um, I'm having a little trouble with the binomials. Do you think you could explain them more to me sometime?" she asked, fingering her long, black hair. She cocked her head and smiled a bit with a cute shrug. I smiled myself and continued eating my sandwich.

"Sure. Just stop by during Seminar, 'kay?"

"'Kay. Bye." She waved to him excitedly, not even once acknowledging me. She left the room with a small skip and squeal.

I raised an eyebrow at Jake as he obliviously took a bite of the tuna sandwich I'd made.

"This is _really_-" he stopped mid-chew when he noticed my expression. "What?" I shook my head. "_What_?"

"You know she doesn't really need help, right?" I asked. He frowned and crossed his arms.

"Huh?"

"Hel_lo_! Teenage girl plus cute tanned muscled teacher equals..." I raised my eyebrows and gestured for him to continue. He only smirked.

"Help with homework problems?"

"No, _stupid_. She obviously wants to hook up with you."

"Please. _Eva_?"

"Yes, _Eva_," I answered, lowering my voice on the girl's name to sound like him. He only chuckled again and shook his head. Then he brightened and his smile widened. He looked at me and I suddenly noticed how much his brown eyes sparkled.

"You think I'm cute?" he gave me a cocky grin and I shoved him with a laugh.

"You know what I meant."

"Care to enlighten me?"

"_Jake_!" We laughed and finished off our lunch.

"How long have you taught here?" I asked.

"About a year now. Seemed like _forever _until I got my degree."

"And the girls have just been all over you." I rolled my eyes.

"What?"

"The same group of three girls just walked by the door again," I answered. "They do it, like, every five seconds. They keep looking in here and giggling and making googly eyes." I crossed my own and laughed.

"No they don't!" Jacob protested.

"Sure do. _Every _five seconds."

"Prove it," he laughed.

"Okay. Act like we're talking."

"We are."

"Then keep doing it. And make sure the door is in your peripheral vision."

"Okay."

"One. Two. Three. Four...Five!" A group of girls walked past the door and giggled, which made Jake snort a laugh. They looked in at him then hurried past.

"Leah, that was six seconds. You prolonged the four!"

"Did _not_! Okay. Watch again. One. Two. Three-" They walked past again. "Ha! That wasn't even a full five seconds!" They kind of paused at the door and Jake turned and raised an eyebrow at them. He smirked and waved. They pushed each other past and burst into more giggles.

"Fine. I admit it. Girls are attracted to me like magnets."

"As if."

"Did you not witness what just happened there? I have the magic touch."

"Creeper."

"And I'm a creeper _why_?"

"Pawning after teenage girls...Tsk, tsk. Jake, I never knew you were like that." I shook my head.

"Shut up, Leah," he said with a chuckle. He laughed and reached up to stretch. I found myself biting my lip when I saw how his muscles showed through the collard button-up he was wearing. I could feel the warmth radiating off his body, but it was the good kind. The kind that one would like to snuggle up with after a long, cold day.

I shook my head when he turned to look at me. He knitted his brows together; a gesture that I'd come to love somehow.

"You okay?"

"Oh, what? Yeah. Peachy." I smiled and patted my stomach for good measure. He only laughed.

"How much longer to go now?"

"Let's see...It's January...Wait. You're a math teacher. YOU do the calculations!"

"...Let's see...Add that, subtract seven, carry the three..." A cocky grin spread across his face and I nudged him playfully. "Let's just say it's not that long left. It'll be over soon, Leah."

"Sure. Tell that to my swollen ankles." I rolled my eyes.

Somewhere along the way, the conversation turned serious. We weren't joking anymore, it was downright _serious_.

"How is he?"

"...My brother."

"Yeah."

"I honestly don't know. I haven't talked to him in a while."

"He lives with you, doesn't he?"

"That doesn't mean that we talk to each other every waking moment of the day. Besides, he's moving."

"To where?"

"The house that he'd saved up all his money for to build for him and Precious. He said that he wanted Keithy to grow up there and always have the memory of his mom close by." He nodded. "Other than that, we haven't really communicated. But I'm forcing him to go to the dinner at Emily's tonight. He has no choice; Mom's on my side, too."

"It must be really hard on him. I mean, I know how Keithy feels." He shrugged. "But Seth just lost his imprint...And she's not coming back. Damn." He looked in deep thought for a second and seemed to take me in more. But then his regular expression of knitted eyebrows came back. "And little man?"

"Keithy's really quiet. I talk to him, and he'll answer, but it's in real short sentences. He's not as happy-go-lucky as he was. Hopefully, it's just a phase. I miss my bouncy boy." I bit my lip and rubbed my stomach more. That's when I noticed the time. "Hey, I gotta' go. My temporary class of fourth graders awaits." I stood up and threw away my trash. "I'll see you later, Jake." A few students began to come back into the room. Jake walked me to the door.

"See you tonight, 'kay?" he asked.

"Right." He pecked my cheek and smiled at me. I kind of pursed my lips; this was almost crossing the line. He'd done that before, and I hadn't wanted a repeat. But for some reason, this felt right. And...I wanted to feel his lips on my skin again.

But that could have just been these pregnancy hormones.

He nodded once before clapping his hands together and rubbing them, returning his attention to his math class. I hurried down the hallway back towards the primary school building, trying to make some kind of sense of what happened.

Then his worn down Vans appeared in my vision.

"You guys are getting closer," he said. I didn't respond. "He kissed you."

"Only on my cheek."

"A kiss nonetheless, love." I turned to look at the wall of posters taped up advertising some kind of senior dance and then he was gone again.

And, for the first time in a long time, I didn't mind.

Seth's P.o.V.

"_What_?"

"I want custody of Keithy," she said again. Slowly this time, as if addressing Keithy himself.

"But I...I just...We just...You let me have him back. After all the time I waited."

"And that was when you had my daughter with you. She kept you sane. Seth, son, you're...Unstable. Who knows if you'd go back to how you were."

"But I-" She raised her eyebrows and I knew that she was right. I'd caved once. _Once_. And I was already wanting more. "But you still can't do this to me. Don't take him away. He's the only thing I have left of her."

"Yes, but I've already gone and done the paperwork."

"You _didn't_." I shook a little.

"Yes, I did. Court ruled in my favor. If he isn't with me by tonight, we'll have to take him forcefully." She seemed kind of happy at that and I growled at her. She just sat there, knowing that I wouldn't and couldn't do anything.

"I don't care what you say. You're not taking my son away from me. Not again." I stood up and slammed my chair back into its place. "Keithy, we're leaving!" I announced, narrowing my eyes at her. She just flashed her own and took a sip of her coffee.

I left as quickly as I could, making sure that Keithy was in the car safely and then driving off.

"Dad? How come you growled at Gramma?" he asked. I gripped the steering wheel tighter and breathed in and out deeply to calm myself.

"No reason."

"Oh. Okay." I glanced at him in the rearview mirror and saw that he was staring down at his lap at the coloring books he had. I sighed and drove to Sam's. They were expecting everyone for dinner. And I had to run patrol, anyway.

I pulled up and opened Keithy's door.

"C'mere, bud." I picked him up and kissed the top of his head, walking up the snowy pathway to the front door. I walked in and was greeted by Emily and the other imprints. Sam and Jared nodded at me from the couch. I set Keithy down and he noiselessly took a seat at the dining room table, opening his coloring books and flipping through to find fresh new pages.

Emily kind of made a face to me and then offered him a cookie. He shook his head and continued with his work.

"You guys mind watching him? I got patrol," I said.

"Sure. Maybe he can help us in the kitchen." Farah smiled at me.

"Ready to go?" I looked at Jared and he stood up. He gave Kim a kiss and I looked at the ground.

"Let's hurry. I don't want all the food to be gone by the time we get back," he joked. I followed him out the back door and we phased.

I didn't mean to, but I started thinking about Jared's exchange with Kim. He kind of whimpered.

_"Dude, I'm sorry." _

_ "No. It's okay. It's fine." _

_ "I know it's not 'fine'. It's really sensitive for you, and I'm sorry for that." _

_ "Can everyone for once say something that isn't 'I'm sorry'? I mean, it's getting really old." _

_ "I'm...Oh. Okay. I'll try not to." _

_ "Thanks." _

_ "Keithy seems a little down." _

_ "I know."_

_ "But nothing his awesome uncle, right?" _Jared barked a laugh, obviously trying to lighten my mood.

_"Yeah." _Mentally I smiled a bit.

_"Yes! I got a smile! Am I awesome or what?" _Jared barked and through his thoughts I could see his cocky grin.

After about an hour more of patrol, we decided to head back. As we approached the house, I could hear more voices and Keithy. He was crying. I hurried in and had him in my arms in only a few seconds.

"What's wrong, bud?" I whispered to him. He just shivered and buried his face deep into my chest. "What happened?"

"I don't know. He fell asleep and then woke up and started crying," Emily answered. She looked worried.

"How long's he been crying?"

"Not that long. Like, a few minutes," Claire said. Keithy had quieted to a few hiccups and shivers now.

"Are you okay?" I asked him. After a few seconds he nodded and I set him down after a quick kiss to the top of his head. I looked apologetically at the imprints. "You mind watching him for a few minutes more? I gotta' go." I shoved my hands in my pocket, feeling around for it.

"Oh...Yeah," Emily frowned and looked at Sam before returning to me. "Where do you have to go?"

"I have something to do." Without another word, I walked out of the house and to my car. I drove as fast as I could down to where I needed to go. I gripped the steering wheel when I saw him and he only smirked.

"Knew you'd be back."

00000000000000000000000000

Jacob's P.o.V.

Everyone seemed on edge. We sat on one side of the living room and the Cullens sat on the other. The blonde vampire girl looked pissed and her mate was just smirking. The pixie one bobbed her head as if listening to music and her mate just stared blankly at the floor. Edward - the mindreading one - looked really uncomfortable. Esme, the only one that I actually kind of liked, just smiled. Carlisle sat across from Sam.

"Where is he?" my Alpha asked, checking the wall clock for the umpteenth time. That's when the door opened and Seth walked in. "Finally. I thought you said you were only going to be gone for a few minutes. It's been over an hour!"

"I'm here, aren't I?" he growled.

"Daddy?" Seth stopped when he heard his name being called and sat down, pulling Keithy onto his lap. His son held him tightly, snuggling up close to him.

"Okay..." Sam rubbed his hands together. "Everyone's here."

"Remind me again why _they're _here," Paul whispered sharply. The blonde one glared at him and he glared right back.

"Carlisle and I have been talking," Sam started.

"How long has _this _been going on?" Embry interrupted him.

"Shut up, Em," I elbowed his ribs. He rolled his eyes and crossed his arms.

"As I was saying, we've been talking. For a while now. And we've both come to the agreement that the treaty should be broken."

"Yes! Hallelujah! Alice, we don't have to meet up behind their backs any-" Claire bounced into the room and stopped when she saw us. "Sorry. Continue, Uncle Sam." She smiled sheepishly and pursed her lips together, slinking back out to the kitchen. That was like the gateway for groans and growls and protests. I just kind of looked around at everyone else, keeping my own mouth shut. Leah looked highly amused, which made a small smile appear on my face.

Sam tried hard to get everyone to shut up, but they weren't having it.

"So that means we actually have to be friends with _that_?" Paul pointed to the blonde and she hissed at him, only to make him growl back at her.

"Guys-"

"I can't believe this. You're breaking something that's been going on for _centuries_!" Quil exclaimed.

"Guys, if you'd just-"

"HEY, WHY DON'T YOU ALL JUST SHUT UP AND LET THE MAN SPEAK?" Leah yelled. Everyone got quiet.

"How did you _do _that?" Sam asked. Leah shrugged and I hid my laughter. "Anyway, all this aside, I know the treaty's been around for centuries but we're don't live way back in the 1500s anymore. It's the twenty-first _century_. I think that it's time for a change." Everyone looked at me.

"What?" I frowned.

"Did _you _know about this? Your dad's the chief!" Jared said.

"That doesn't mean he likes to tell me everything that's going on in La Push," I shrugged.

"Jake had nothing to do with this," Sam said. My brothers looked skeptical but didn't say anything else.

"I know that you guys aren't too happy about this, but I think that it'll be great," the pixie leech said. "I mean, I've had to actually go behind everyone just so I could talk to Claire. I hated that with all my being. Who would want to do that? Would you want to have to go behind your imprints' parents' back just to see your true love?" she looked at the guys. They got kind of quiet and she nodded. "I think I've made my point."

"I'm fine with it," Leah raised her hand. "Carlisle's my new doctor, anyway. And I trust him. He's cool. He's not mean. And I don't mind his cold hands that much," she smiled. "Plus, him and his family have helped us so many times before." She glanced at me. "Like, back when Victoria had that newborn army. They helped us kick her ice cold ass. He's been my doctor since I was little, and Seth's, too. And, really, if Sam didn't trust them, they wouldn't be in his house right now." She shrugged. "I'm done testifying. Can we all just agree to break the treaty so we can get on with our lives?"

"Well...He _did _save our little bro..." Embry nudged me and Quil messed up my hair. I scowled. "I _guess_. But the minute one of you looks at me funny, I'll break you."

"I don't care. I just want to eat," Jared shrugged. I could tell he was still skeptical about the idea, though.

"Sure. But only for Claire-Bear," Quil rolled his eyes.

"Thank you, Quilly-Billy!" Claire yelled from the kitchen. I heard her squeal after that.

"...Fine," Paul growled after receiving a long hard glare from my sister.

"Do you _have _to ask me?" I asked with a smile towards Leah's way. She grinned back and everyone turned to look at Seth.

"What? Oh. Yeah, whatever." He stroked Keithy's hair and then whispered something in his ear. Sam turned to Carlisle.

"My family has already voiced their concerns with me beforehand. We've agreed to break the treaty if your Pack and the Elders were on board," he said.

"And they're with it," Sam nodded.

"Then it's done. The treaty is broken," Carlisle nodded. Claire bounced in again straight to Alice.

"Yes! Celebratory shopping trip in Seattle!" she squealed.

"You know it!" The two hugged and then the doorbell rang. Seth stood up and shook his head.

"Don't answer it," he whispered. The bell rang two more times and then three hard pounds were heard.

"What's happening?" Leah stood up. "Why don't you want us to answer it?"

"Just don't. It's her," he whispered. Keithy looked up at him.

"Dad what's happening?" he asked. The door opened and Precious' mom stood there with her arms crossed. A police officer and a woman stood behind her.

"I told you, didn't I?" she asked.

"_What_?" Farah walked in and hooked her arm around Embry's. "Who the hell are you?"

"I've come for Keithy," Glenda said.

"But I wanna' stay with my dad," Keithy whimpered. The woman behind her held out her arms.

"I'm sorry, honey, but you need to come with us."

"Please don't take him away from me," Seth pleaded. He pulled his son tighter and the officer took a step forward.

"I'm sorry, but it's the court orders," the woman said. "He comes with me or we'll be forced to take you to jail." Seth squeezed his eyes shut and set his son down. Keithy only latched himself to his leg.

"No! I don't wanna' go!" Seth kneeled down in front of him and held his arms by his side.

"You have to. It'll be okay, got it? It's going to be _okay_." He gave him a tight hug and let him go. Glenda took his hand.

"Let's go, honey."

"You're mean! Don't take me away! I'll be good!" Keithy tried to get a hold of Seth again, but Glenda picked him up and took him out of the house. The door was slammed shut and everyone was either staring at that or at Seth.

He seemed dazed, and stared blankly at the spot where all this had just taken place.

"Dude, you okay?" Embry fell to his side.

"It's funny. I thought I was done, y'know? I thought he would be back with me to stay. 'Cause that's what she said. Now I know that it was just a lie. She's fake," Seth said quietly. "Then again, I know it was my fault." He looked at Sam. "I slipped up."

"Kid..."

"I was being a dumbass and I slipped up." He stood. "You know where I was for that long? You wanna' know? I needed a hit." He pulled a bag of white powder. "Now I'm paying for it." He threw it to the ground and it slid to Sam's foot. "My life is so _fucked_. God sure must hate me. He's taken practically everything away. But I never thought that He'd go as far as to take my son away."

"Kid-"

"Shut up, Sam. Just shut. _Up_. I need to tell you guys...Even before Precious died, I've been going out to shoot up. Maybe that's why she died. Maybe that's why she got in that crash in the first place. Maybe _that's _why Glenda turned so sick and twisted and took my son away." He took out another bag. "This is what killed my dad." Another one. "This is what made Leah leave." He pulled out about three more and threw it all to the ground. "This is why my life is so jacked up. And now there's nothing I can do to fix it. Nothing. I can't go back in time. And I can't stop this. I've tried so hard, and that only makes me do it more." He smiled. "And it makes me forget. I forget about my son. I forget about you guys; my _family_. All I care about is this." He pulled out a syringe and a lighter. "I don't give a fuck about anything else. But now..._Now_..." His smile faltered and tears streamed down his cheeks.

"_Help me_."

**I've never written anything like that in my whole entire life. I hope I get some pretty good feedback...**

**~SashaFierce12.0**


	11. Chapter 11

**Thanks so much for the feedback! I was so paranoid and worried that you guys weren't going to like Chapter Ten. But thanks for reading and keep those reviews coming!**

**~SashaFierce12.0**

_Session Seven. Jacob Black. 1/14/13_

"On a daily basis, how long do you think about her?"

"Who?"

"You're mother."

"Every day. Who _doesn't _think about their mother that much? If you don't...Psh...You gotta' be pretty twisted not to."

Chapter Eleven

Seth's P.o.V.

The bed was basically an old, worn mattress on some metal and the room had one window. It was dark, with only a lamp to add some light.

I couldn't stop shaking. I could almost compare to the tremors of phasing; that's how bad it was. But I needed a hit. So bad.

I knew I couldn't, though. That's why I was here. To get better.

I kept trying to grasp memories of my son, and it'd help some, but other than that, my mind would drift back to the things that got me here in the first place.

I pulled my legs up to my chest and laid my cheek down on my knees - trying to ease my nerves a little. It didn't work, though. If anything, the quivering seemed to take to an all new high.

My head throbbed and I felt like I could blow chunks at any given second. I couldn't help the tears forming in my eyes so I ignored them and they started to fall.

I cried.

I cried because I couldn't get what I wanted. I cried for Leah; she'd had to find out about this in a way that I didn't want. I cried for the Pack; they had all looked so disappointed in me. I cried for the imprints; they were scared. I cried for Mom. For my son. For Precious.

But most of all I cried for me.

Yeah. Me.

It seemed like, at this moment, I wouldn't be able to make it through. I'd only been here for not even a day, yet I already wanted to leave.

My quivering was joined by the usual shakes one gets when their sobbing. I felt so stupid and childish right now, but it seemed like I couldn't stop. So I didn't.

The door opened slowly and I glanced up, expecting to see Dr. Daniels. What I got was the complete opposite.

Her hair was long and curly and dark (I couldn't tell the color because of how bad the lighting was in here). She was pretty short, but really thin. I couldn't see her face because of the dark and because of how clouded my vision was with stray tears.

"Hey," she said. I saw the shadow of her hand move and blinked, making my vision go back to normal. I didn't speak, afraid that if I did, I'd puke. My head still felt like it was being pounded over and over again with a hammer and I couldn't stop quivering. She sat a few feet away from me, close enough so that I could see her give me a grim smile. "If it helps, it usually gets better after a week or so. But even then, you'll still get some headaches." Then she shined the light of a flashlight on her face and I got to see it. She looked to be at least my age, if not then a little younger. Her face was hard, though; she was definitely not one to mess with...

I didn't dwell on her too much, though. I got a craving and buried my head deeper into my knees.

"Do you have any?" I heard myself asking. "Ice?" She stared at me. "Quartz? White stuff? _Anything_? Please..." I begged her. The bed quivered with me. I was desperate now. I wanted..._Needed _it.

"I remember when I was like you," she said, completely ignoring my plea. "Except I would scream and yell at the door or at the walls or at the ceiling. It scared the doctors so much, they moved me to a whole new floor by myself. It took me awhile, but soon I stopped 'cause I knew I wasn't gonna' get anymore." She shined the flashlight on me and I saw her cock her head. "What's a cute little guy like you doin' in a big bad place like LMRC? Wait. Don't tell me. Got mixed in with the wrong guys? Then those bitches coaxed you to do something you weren't so sure about? Then you just went out on a big-ass drug spree ever since..." she said. I was only half listening, but, yeah, it sounded right. "Same happened to me. Grew up nice. Got good grades. Then I got tied in with some folks from school...I didn't wanna' do it at first, but my life was so screwed up at that point anyway. It seemed like my ticket out, y'know? But then my 'rents passed and I was given the responsibility of my little brother and sisters. Well, kind of. We lived with my aunt. But still...Looking into those little faces everyday made me think about what I was doing. Next thing I know, I was here. And I'm happy to say that I've been clean twenty-seven days." She had the flashlight shined on her face the whole time and then turned it back on me. "What about you, hot stuff? Got a story?" I didn't answer but continued quivering. I tried to stop, but it was so hard.

The girl looked on the small nightstand next to me and spotted the picture frame on top. She shined the light on it, revealing the last picture I had of me and Keithy. It was just him and I, and we were at First Beach. He was younger then; only two.

"Is that your brother?" she asked, shining the light back on me. That was enough to make me forget about what I wanted. I focused on Keithy.

"My son."

"Your _son_?"

"Mhm." I noticed that my shaking gradually got less, but it didn't entirely stop. "He's four now."

"You doing this for him? And your...Wife?"

"Yeah, for him. But I'm not married. My girlfriend...His mom...She's...She's dead." I hadn't talked about Precious in weeks. Bringing it up reminded me of how I got here in the first place and the anxiety and shaking shot up again.

"Oh, dude, I'm sorry. I won't talk about this anymore. Uhh...Crap, I should go." She shined the flashlight on her face. "Hey, I'll be back, 'kay? And so you don't forget me..." She turned the light off and was soon placing something on my head. Some kind of hat. "I don't usually get this attached to people this quick, but you're different hotshot. Just remember me: Mathai. _Matt _for short." She stood up off the bed and turned the flashlight back on, shining it on her face. "Got a name?"

"Seth."

"Hm. Seth." She opened the door and turned back to me. "See you soon. _Seth_."

0000000000000000000000000000

Leah's P.o.V.

Pacing around the room, I held the phone to my ear and bit my thumbnail.

_"Miss?" _

"Yes! I'm here!" I stopped and felt my heart speed up.

_"I'm sorry, but Mister Clearwater is in a session right now with one of our doctors. Could you call back at a more convenient time?" _

"Oh..." My excitement wavered and I forced a smile, even though the man on the other end couldn't hear me. "Sure. Yes. Okay."

_"Alright. Can I also take a message?" _

"Just...Never mind. It's fine."

_"Okay. Thank you for calling." _I voiced a half-hearted reply and pressed the 'end call' button, glumly sitting down on the couch. Emily came in and I handed her back her phone.

"Busy?"

"Yeah."

"You'll get to talk to him soon, Leah. Don't worry."

"But it's been almost two weeks and I haven't spoken with him. I'm getting worried."

"It'll be _fine_, Leah. You-" The phone rang in her hand and she gave me an apologetic smile before answering. "Hello? ...Oh. Yeah, she's right here." I knitted my eyebrows together and she shrugged, handing me back the phone.

"Hello?" I asked skeptically.

_"Lee?" _

Seth.

"Hi! I thought you were busy. I'd only just called not even thirty seconds ago!"

_"I know. They said someone had called and I just guessed it was you." _

"H-how are you?" I asked. He sighed.

_"Major headache but I'm fine." _

"Oh..." I looked up as some of the Pack walked in and brightened. "The guys just walked in. You wanna' speak to them?"

_"Uhh...Nah, it's okay. I gotta' go anyway." _

"Oh. Okay." I tried to hide my disappointment.

_"I'll call back as soon as I can, okay?" _

"Yeah."

_"Bye." _He hung up before I could say 'bye' back. I sighed and set the phone down.

"Who was it?" Sam asked.

"Seth." It got kind of quiet as everyone processed the name that I'd just said. Since Keithy was taken, we'd never spoken of that day at all. We barely even spoke of my brother.

"How's he doing?" Farah asked, breaking the silence.

"He said 'major headache but fine,'" I answered.

"I hope he comes back soon," Claire sighed, walking down the stairs. "And I hope that he's happy again." She walked into Quil's arms and he pulled her tight.

"Hey, he will. It's my brother we're talking about here. Seth _Clearwater_. Everyone with that last name can make it through _anything_," I winked at her and she smiled.

"Are you only confined to thirty second calls, Lee?" Emily asked, carrying in a plate of muffins. "That talk was kind of short."

"I don't know. I asked if he wanted to speak to you guys, but it seemed like he didn't want to." I shrugged and bit my lip. "Hey, can we talk about something else?" I asked.

"Okay! Let's talk about how _cold _it is outside! I mean _burr_!" Farah shivered for added emphasis and smiled. "Or we can talk about how Leah needs to get bigger because the weight she is now can't possibly be healthy for Estrella."

"Carlisle says I'm _fine_. I'm big enough as it is." I crossed my arms and stared down at my swollen belly. Then I shot up and turned around, showing everyone from different angles. "Look at this! You can't go and tell me that I'm not fat."

"Yeah. You're not fat. See? I just did it." Jake walked inside with a grin towards my way. I just rolled my eyes.

"But I am! I can't even fit into my _clothes _anymore. I feel like a cow," I whined, scrunching up my face. "And it doesn't help that I want to eat everything in sight!" I eyed the plate of muffins Emily set down and cringed. "I am a strong woman. I am a strong woman," I repeated to myself. Embry held out a muffin and waved it in my face.

"Be strong, Leah!" he laughed. I glared at him.

"I _swear _I will make the guys strap you down in a chair and watch my whole birthing process," I threatened. "Because watching me squeeze a human head through my vagina will be _great _payback for what you are doing to me now," I hissed. He shivered and gave me a sheepish look.

"Spare me...?"

"Em, you just pissed off a pregnant lady," Quil clapped a hand on his shoulder.

"No. It's a pregnant _Leah_. Those are the ones you gotta' be scared of the most," Jacob said.

"My threat stands for all of you!" I said, pointing at all of the guys.

"No. I had to watch my cousin deliver her baby. Once you've seen one birth, you've seen 'em all," Sam held up his hands in defense.

"_No mercy_," I whispered deviously. He only shook his head and chuckled. Embry put the muffin in my face again.

"You can have one bite, Leah. It won't kill you. If anything, it'll get that baby to start dancing. She'll be all 'Hell, yeah! Mommy's feeding me something _sweet_!'" He winked and I couldn't help but smile. "C'mon. Just _one_."

"...Fine. But only because your face is so hard to resist." I took a small one and swallowed with a shrug.

"Not big enough," he said.

"You never said how big it had to be!"

"Bigger than _that_."

"But then I'll eat the whole thing!" I whined. "I don't want to eat the whole thing."

"Then don't."

"You're not understanding me, Embry. I'm like you guys when it comes to steak. I can't just have one tiny bite. I got to have the whole thing."

"Then eat the whole thing!"

"But I don't _want to eat the whole thing_!" He rolled his eyes and shoved it in my mouth.

"Now chew." I tried to talk but he just pressed his hand on it, waiting for me to finish. I bit his hand when I was done, but he just laughed. "It was good, huh?" I narrowed my eyes and wiped my mouth. My expression turned to a frown.

"It was great," I hissed. "When I squeeze a five thousand pound baby through my va-jay-jay, I'll know _exactly _who to thank."

"Gee, thanks, Quil," Embry slapped his friend's back and walked to sit down on the couch.

"You know who I meant!" I yelled back.

"So what do you think childbirth is like?" Jacob asked. It wasn't directed towards me, but everyone in the room.

"Dude, let's not think about this," Quil shook his head.

"Why not?" Claire asked.

"I'm not planning on having kids any time soon," he replied.

"Doesn't hurt to know Quilly-Billy." She patted his head.

"I don't even _want _to know what it's like," Embry said.

"My cousin described it as trying to pull your bottom lip up and over the top of your head," Sam shrugged. All the guys screamed in unison and I pouted.

"Gee. Way to put it nicely, Sam," I said.

"They wanted to know," he shrugged.

"My mom always used to tell me that when she was having me, they had to get people to hold her down 'cause she was trying to strangle my dad," Farah said with a giggle. Everyone stared at her.

"Why do you look so proud?" Embry asked. His imprint only shrugged.

"How do you think Leah will take it?" Quil asked, looking at me as I sat down.

"She'll probably just pop that kid out like nobody's business," Jacob said.

"I believe it. Lee's tough like that," Emily nodded.

"Since when does Jacob Black see the future?" I asked.

"Since I started my new job as a physic medium downtown," he said seriously. I knitted my brows together and he laughed. "I'm _kidding_. Laugh."

"Oh. Ah-ha-ha. _Ha_."

"So how much longer do you have left?" Sam asked me.

"Like..._Months_. But I want to be _done_. Being pregnant isn't all it's cracked up to be. In movies, you see these beautiful prima donnas with their beautiful golden hair flowing down their backs, caressing their bellies like it was the star diamond on the queen's crown. Bitch, please. In reality, hair is _not _golden." I clutched my black locks. "It's coal colored."

"I prefer the word _ebony_," Claire said.

"Sure. And we only rub our stomachs because it feels weird having it here. Like..." I rubbed mine. "I don't even _know_. One day, I was flat. The next, I got this giant bowling ball sticking out from my body. But then I remember that there's a _human being _in there. And then I go 'oh. Yeah. Cool.'" I poked it. "But it needs to go. Holding children is much better than having the thing attached to your body. Add that to eating enough for a family of five thousand, having to pee every five seconds, _and _having your feet hurt?" I shuddered. "I'm just happy this isn't twins." My hands flew to my face. "Or worse. _Triplets_."

"_Damn_. Three kids through one vagina..." Embry looked at Farah who hit his shoulder. "Promise me we won't have triplets."

"Cross my heart," Farah said.

"Okay. _Now _can we talk about something else other than birth, vaginas, and prima donnas?" Quil whined.

"Oh, please, Quil. You know you love this," I teased.

"Not really. My poor innocent mind is being corrupted by _you_!"

"Your mind is _not _innocent," Sam protested. He turned back to me and grinned. I winked.

"So the _birthing process_," I started. I rubbed my stomach. "It all starts when you feel the first contraction."

Quil kind of cowered in the corner of the couch. "Leah...!"

"But it doesn't end there. Oh, no. The poor mother is _agonizing_, _pain staking _labor for _hours_. Maybe even _days_!"

"Le_ah_!"

"And then _finally_ the water breaks. And not only does your water break, but all _hell _breaks loose as well. Hey, if we're lucky, they might have one of those _Deliver Me _specials on TV."

"Really? Let's check!" Emily perked up.

"That's where I draw the line. I'm out," Quil shivered.

"Aww, we were just messing with you, Quilly," I cooed. "And trust me, I plan on _not _being in labor for that long."

"You say that now..." he muttered. "I'm not sticking around when you go all exorcist on us, Lee. The minute you start screaming...! Uh, _deuces_." He shot me a peace sign.

"I'm not going to be _that _bad."

"Can _you _see the future now?" Jacob asked with a quirked eyebrow.

"Yes. It is _bright_," I said mystically. "But trust me. You'll know when I start."

"We should have a special codeword, or something. So then if you're with any one of us, we'll know exactly what you're talking about," Emily said, collecting the empty muffin basket off the table.

"Or it could just be 'I'm about to shove a freaking head down my v-thing. Get me to the damn hospital now or I'll kill you,'" Embry said.

"It's too long. But I'll keep it in mind," I said.

"Yeah. It could be like, 'the eagle is about to land', or something," Claire quipped.

"Mmm..." I looked up in thought.

"Or it could be something clever like 'the star is falling,'" Jacob said. He started laughing along with practically everyone else in the room.

"Yeah. That star's definitely gonna' fall. Right out her-" Quil covered up Embry's mouth before he could finish.

"Let's not continue that sentence."

"Then I'll say it. RIGHT OUT THE VAGINA!" Emily ran in and hopped over the couch next to Quil as she said this.

"I love this," I giggled.

"I don't..." Quil groaned.

"You're going to have to hear it one day," Sam shrugged. He glanced at Claire and Quil paled.

"_Sammy_!" Claire turned red and wrapped her arms around her mid-section. Sam just raised his eyebrows and smiled. The doorbell rang and he answered it.

"Hey. You know you can just walk in," he said, stepping aside. And then appeared Alice in all her pixie-like glory.

"Ally!" Claire squealed.

"Hi, Claire! I just stopped by with an invitation from Edward and Bella." I didn't notice how she kind of choked on the vampire's girlfriend's name. "Their wedding." She held up some envelopes.

"They're still going through with that?" Jacob asked. I glanced at him and noticed that his face was twisted up in disgust and anger. Alice kind of sighed but nodded.

"Yes. Un...They are," she said. She smiled then. "I have some for everybody. So don't all come running at once." She passed them out. "You'll all be there, right?"

"...Yeah...?" Embry replied a little while later. He glanced at Jacob. Alice smiled widely and then rolled her eyes, her face going into a scowl. It looked weird on her face. Different. I instantly knew that she wasn't one to scowl often.

"Who am I kidding? Don't come. Wait. No. _Do_. Then I won't be bored the whole time. My brother marrying Bella is a huge mistake. She's mean, and sarcastic, and probably has the IQ of a box of crayons. Plus, she thinks that we'll always be there for her to wait on her hand and foot. Sure, she was fine in the beginning, but now...Ugh. I just want her out of my _life_." Her rant was answered by widened eyes. Alice was not the one to rant like this. That much I could tell.

She kind of looked at us like she just noticed that we were there. Her smile was sheepish and I bet if she could, her cheeks would be as red as strawberries.

"Sorry. I don't usually rant," she shrugged.

"That was highly amusing," said Quil.

"Saturday's the big day, huh?" Sam asked.

"Yeah. Guess so. I'll be seeing you guys." She started out the door.

"Aww, Ally you can stay! Can't she stay, Sammy? _Please_?" Claire whined.

"If she wants to. I'm fine with it," Sam shrugged and headed to the kitchen.

"You're staying. We're about to eat dinner," Claire squealed.

"Oh...I've already eaten," Alice looked down.

"That's fine. You can watch the guys eat and be disgusted like I usually am every day," Claire dragged Alice to the couch and sat her down between her and Quil.

I thought that it would be awkward, but to my surprise, Alice fit in with us just fine. She joked around with us and teased Quil more about birth and babies. Everyone was laughing along with her and I could tell that they all loved her.

Out of the corner of my eye, I could see Jacob staring down at the invitation with a perplexed look on his face. I reached over and squeezed his shoulder. He glanced at me and I gave him a look that said 'are you okay?' He shot me another one back. 'Yeah.' Then I got something else. 'You?'

I was about to smile to show that I was fine, too, but it wasn't the truth. I was far from fine. The stress of this baby and Seth and everything else is starting to get to me. Like, really.

But, stupid me, I smiled anyway.

**Ha! Another chapter down! I'll have the next one up soon, it should be in the next month of Leah's pregnancy. So she'll be...Six months...? Yeah. Six months. Hoped you liked it! Review, please!**

**~SashaFierce12.0**


	12. Chapter 12

**Be prepared for a major surprise!**

**~SashaFierce12.0**

_February 14_

_Travis,_

_Happy Valentine's Day! I wish you were here. I remember how we would dress up all nice and go out on the town all night. And then we'd each share a big expensive box of Godiva chocolates. Remember? _

_So now I have some chocolates but no one to share it with. My mom claims she's 'on a diet', so she's definitely out of the question. I know that you would never care. If it was up to Travis Waters, you would eat the whole thing by yourself. _

_Today...I feel...Tired. And only because I'm tired of this. You not being here for me and Estrella. You won't be here to see her come into this world and grow. And Travis, I'm scared. _

_You remember what they said, right? I'm scared every day that they'll find me. Every time there's a knock at the door I think it's them. I get so paranoid every day because I'm...I'm scared. _

_I guess that's two feelings, huh?_

_I miss you. A lot. I wish you were here to keep me safe and then I'll know that I don't have to be scared. _

_-Leah_

Chapter Twelve

Seth's P.o.V.

"What are we doing exactly?" I watched as Matt unscrewed the tops to some paint.

"We're finding you a constructive outlet. You like art, yeah?"

"I guess." She shoved the can in my hands.

"Create it." I looked at the big piece of white paper covering the wall in the rec room. It's only been a few weeks and I've gotten a little better, but sometimes I still get that craving. It went downhill after that, but Matt would be there to help me.

I thought about Keithy. I thought about Leah and Mom and the Pack and the imprints. Everyone that I loved.

My hand started to move. I bobbed my head to the music blasting from my headphones and just...Painted. I didn't know what Matt was doing, but at the moment I didn't care. I was focused on this. My mind was blank. I was peaceful. Nothing mattered at that moment. Only the painting.

I don't know how long I was there, but I finished a long while later. I had paint smeared everywhere; from my cheeks to my clothes to my shoes. But I loved that feeling.

I stepped back and looked at what I had created, cocking my head and squinting my eyes.

Matt elbowed me and smiled.

"Seth has found his constructive outlet!" she announced. "Wow..." She whistled and gazed at what I did. I was proud of it.

I had painted myself. How I looked now. I had the hardness of my face, the beanie that Matt had given me, and my headphones around my neck; where they always are. My face I had filled in with different colors. And I painted how my hair peaked out from under the hat. My right side was shadowed. On that side, next to my head, I'd just splattered other different colors of paint everywhere to fill in the big space.

I felt a small smile grace my face when I actually took it all in. I'd always been good at art and stuff. But I never really realized it until now.

"You're gonna' be famous one day," Matt said. I threw the cans away and moved my headphones down to my neck and shot one more glance towards the painting. Keithy's name caught my eye.

It never left my mind. I wondered how he was doing. How Glenda was treating him. If he thought about me. About Precious. About my mom, or Leah.

"Hey, you okay?" Matt asked.

"Yeah, it's fine," I said. A headache was starting to form and I sighed again.

"No. It's back, isn't it?"

"Yeah."

"C'mon."

000000000000000000000000

Jacob's P.o.V.

"It's so cute! Isn't it cute? My boyfriend is _amazing_!" Gina said dreamily, clutching the bouquet close to her chest. "And he also got me chocolates and tonight he's taking me into that Italian restaurant in Port Angeles.

"Lucky! I just got a card," her friend sighed.

"_I _got a giant one and he recorded his voice in it," her other friend boasted. "He put it on my doorstep this morning so when I came out for school, it was the first thing I saw."

"Aww..." Gina cooed.

"Alright, guys. Let's calm down now," I said, standing up.

"What about you, Mr. Black? You got a Valentine?" Jenny leaned on the palm of her hand and batted her eyelashes.

"Me? Oh." I laughed. "No."

"But no one deserves to be alone on V-Day!" Eva exclaimed. Some of the other girls agreed with her. The guys in the back just talked and laughed, obviously not caring about the situation that I was in.

"What about that lady that was here last month? I saw you and her gettin' cozy," London winked at me.

"Who? Leah?"

"Oh. That's her name."

"Hey, isn't that the Clearwater chick?"

"Yeah!"

"I heard that her brother got sent to prison," Gina said quietly.

"Well _I _heard that he almost got sent to jail because he was hurting his son, or something."

"What kind of guy would do that?"

"Girls. Please. Let's get into the lesson," I said, whistling for them to be quiet. Reluctantly, they turned around and righted themselves in their seats.

I wouldn't let Seth be talked about like that. He was my brother. Sure, he did some things that no one could ever be proud about, but he's human. No one's perfect.

In my third class, the phone rang.

"Just a sec, guys." I picked it up. "It's Jacob."

_"Oh, hey. You get out for lunch soon, right?" _Leah asked. I smiled.

"Yeah. Why?"

_"Wanna' meet up? I have a _huge _box of Godiva chocolates and no one to share it with." _

"Dessert before an actual meal? That doesn't seem like you."

_"Oh, please. It's a holiday. I can do whatever I want." _

"Yeah..." I chuckled.

_"I'll be over soon, 'kay?" _

"Yeah."

_"You get back to teaching math or whatever it is you do. I love...Bye." _She hung up.

That was weird.

It kind of sounded like she was gonna' say...

I can't dwell on that. I can dream, but as cliché as it sounds, it'll probably never come true.

"Hot date tonight?" Antonio asked from the back. Him and his friends started wolf whistling. I just smiled and shook my head.

"He's probably just too embarrassed to say it," Teresa waggled her eyebrows at me.

"Let's get back to the lesson, guys," I waved my hand, trying to dismiss the subject.

Later, when everyone had gone to lunch, I got a knock on my door. Opening it, I kind of jumped when a huge heart-shaped box was shoved into my face. It was lowered and I saw Leah smirking behind it. I laughed and let her in.

"Told you. It's big, huh?" she said, sitting down in the computer chair.

"Sure is." I sat on the desk and opened it up.

"I might of kind of sort of gotten hungry on the way here," she said, sheepishly. I chuckled when I saw some chocolates missing. "But there's still a lot!"

"Yeah." I picked up caramel-filled one and popped it in my mouth. "What brand?"

"Godiva."

"That's the good stuff. Must've been expensive."

"Not really. Mom got it for me."

"Did you get her anything?"

"Yeah. Well, I made her a big pancake breakfast. And then I gave her a big bouquet of roses and a teddy bear with a balloon. She was so happy! Jake, you should've seen her face!"

"Bet she was." I smiled glumly, remembering how my mom would always take us out to Seattle on this day. School day or not, we'd go. And we'd just walk around and laugh and have fun. It was always laughs and butterflies when she was here.

Now she isn't.

_And you shouldn't be, too_.

It was foreign. I hadn't had a visit from that voice in months. I jumped when I heard it and Leah jumped, too.

"What happened?"

"Oh. I think I saw a rat, or something." Her lips curled into a smile.

"Jacob Black? Afraid of a wee little _rodent_?"

"I'm not afraid of it...! They just might carry diseases is all," I protested.

"Sure..."

Then she began talking again and I forgot about what had happened. It was cool how, even though we weren't together, she could make me feel warm and great inside. Like, nothing was wrong. I think that I've always loved Leah, and the imprinting just made it stronger.

This made me think about what she had said on the phone earlier.

"Hey, Lee?"

"Yeah?"

"On the phone...What were you about to say? Right before you hung up."

"I don't know..." she frowned.

"You said something like 'I love...' then you just said 'bye' and hung up."

"Oh. OH!" she shot up off the chair. "I'm sorry. It's just..." She put her head in her hands. "I was so caught up in everything and I didn't realize what I was saying until it was too late."

"So-"

"It was...I don't know. It was just-"

"I think I love you, too, Leah," I blurted out. My eyes widened and I clamped a hand over my mouth quickly. It was quiet.

"Umm..." Leah cleared her throat. "Ooh..." She frowned. "That was..."

"I'm sorry."

"No, no. It's...Wow." She raised her eyebrows and clapped her hands together. "Mom must've bought a defective box, or something, huh?" She giggled nervously but stopped and her face got serious. "No one's...Told me that in a long time, Jake."

"I'm sorry."

"I know. I know. You wanna' know something funny?" She crossed her arms and her eyes glossed over and she turned around, her back facing me. "I want..._So badly_...To love you with all my heart and soul. But something's stopping me. When I spend time with you, I wanna' open up to you, y'know? But then I get scared and try to forget about it. I'm scared, Jake. Just a scared person right now. You have no _clue _what's..." She turned and pressed a hand to her mouth, shaking her head. I moved her hand away and massaged it in mine.

"Leah. I got to tell you something. I've been putting this off for so long. Too long. Remember when you asked if I had an imprint, and I said 'no?'"

"Mhm." I squeezed her hand and gave her a small smile.

"I lied. Leah. It's you. I imprinted. On you." She smiled, but then it disappeared.

"You...? On..._Me_?" she breathed. I nodded.

"I know you're scared Leah. And I know how you feel. But when I'm with you, I forget about everything that's happening. You make me laugh. Smile. Kid around. Be me. You know, before all this happened." I was referring to a few months ago. "And you wanna' know a secret?"

"Hm?"

"_I'm scared, too_." She looked down then back up at me. "But, as cliché as it sounds, I want to conquer the fears together." She quietly laughed once then looked worried.

"But I've been hurt so many times before, Jake. And...Especially after this last one. I'm...I'm _terrified_."

"...Third time's the charm?" I asked. She smiled and took in a deep breath.

"I'm ready," she breathed. I was elated. Happier than I've ever been in a while. Almost six years I waited. But, I guess, it was worth it.

"Can I...Can I kiss you now?" I asked hesitantly. She stood on her tiptoes and I leaned down slowly. But when our lips met, it was like a lightning bolt of energy. It felt good that kiss and I was kind of disappointed when she pulled away. She was looking at the classroom door. I turned, too, and met the eyes of half my class. "Oh. Uhh..." Antonio rolled his eyes and crossed his arms.

"Liar."

00000000000000000000000000

Leah's P.o.V.

"How do you feel about this...?"

"Me?"

"Yeah." I looked down at my stomach and rubbed it.

"I'm really happy that you're able to move on. I've been tired of watching you be sad all this time. Leah, I love you. A lot."

"And I love you, too, Travis." For the first time in months, I looked up at his face. His gorgeous face. He was smiling, showing off his pearly whites. My eyes wandered to his chest. The hole was there where the bullet had been shot through. It was red, but other than that, he looked the same.

"I just want you to be happy. And if that means watching you every day with some guy, then so be it."

"You'll always have a place in my heart, Travis." He smiled at me.

"Bye, Leah."

"...Bye." I waved and watched him disappear into the wind. I pursed my lips and looked down the bottom of the cliff where Jacob was coming up.

"Hey. Why did you want me here?" he asked, giving me a hug.

"I wanted you here when I did this." Out of my coat, I took out the stack of letters that I'd written over the past months. From October 24 all the way until yesterday. There were so many. I'd written one for him every day.

"What are these?" Jake asked, knitting his eyebrows together.

"My letters." I flipped through them, biting my lip at the words. My handwriting was slanted and loopy, and I saw his name in all of them. "I gotta' let go." I took a deep breath and grasped his hand in mine.

"Are you sure?" he asked.

"Yeah." I held them against my chest and we slowly walked to the edge and I looked over at the crashing waves. I breathed out again and let go of the papers. They flew into the wind and over the edge. I held one more in my hand and looked down at it, running my thumb over his name.

_Dear Travis,_

_ I love you so much. But I want to have you know that I've found love again. He's sweet and funny, and sometimes reminds me of you. But Jake's all his own person. And I've realized...I love him. I'm scared. He's scared. But we're gonna' be scared together. _

_ I want you to know that you'll always have a place in my heart. Always. Forever. I still love you. With all my heart. Forever and always._

_ Today I feel..._

_ Happy. And I haven't been able to say that in a long time._

_ Forever yours,_

_ Leah_

I squeezed the paper just as I squeezed my eyes shut. Finally, I let go.

It danced into the wind. Finding its own path towards happiness.

And finally, after so many months, I felt free.

**I've been getting so many reviews about how 'Jake and Leah need to get together soon.' Are we happy? I put them together! Yea! I wonder how it's gonna' go now...I guess we'll just have to wait to find out, I guess! Remember to review!**

**~SashaFierce12.0**


	13. Chapter 13

**Thanks for the reviews, guys! I'm so happy that you're happy that I let Jake and Leah get together! Another surprise for this chapter, too. And, yeah, I'm again paranoid about it. But, oh well! I'll just have to live with it and see what happens!**

**~SashaFierce12.0**

_Session Thirteen. Jacob Black. 3/21/13_

"Hm. You seem happier."

"I am."

"Any reason?"

"Hell yeah."

"Would you like to share."

"Starts with an 'L' and ends in 'E-A-H.'"

"Leah. Wow. That's...Wow."

"_I know_."

Chapter Thirteen

Leah's P.o.V.

"Are they back from their honeymoon yet?" I asked Rosalie, rubbing my stomach.

"No," she sighed. Over the past few weeks, Rosalie and I had gotten really close. She was almost like the sister I never had. We talked all the time and always met up just to meet up. She was really protective over me, too. But I didn't mind. Once you got to know her, she was super nice and sweet. She was also super funny. But like me, she was angered easily.

Like now. Me bringing up her brother and Bella got her really mad. She hated that they were together. She hated _Bella_.

"So what're you and Emmett doing for your anniversary?" I asked, trying to change the subject.

"Oh. We're going up to Toronto for holiday. But don't worry, Leah. I'll make sure to be back by the time Estrella's born. I don't want to miss _any _of it." She hugged me and smiled. I loved how I was one of the only people to make her do that voluntarily. Emmett, Esme, and Alice were the people after me that could do that. "Oh, and don't let me forget to plan your baby shower, okay?"

"No. No showers. But gifts are always excepted!" I said.

"Aww, come _on_. I never got to plan one for somebody before."

"Rose, _no_."

"Fine...Can I at least start planning the 'Welcome home, Estrella' party?" she asked.

"Sure. Whatever."

"_Yes_!" she cheered. I stood up and hugged her again.

"Hey, I gotta' go, okay? I'm helping my mom with the night shift at the diner." I grabbed my coat and slid it on.

"Okay. I'll text you?"

"Yeah. And I'll see you tomorrow at Emily's. You're coming right?" She nodded. "Good. Don't have _too _much fun in that time, Rose. I know everything." I winked at her and Emmett snaked an arm around her waist. He waved at me and Rosalie just rolled her golden eyes.

I left with one last laugh and slid into my car. I drove to the diner and went in, placing my coat on the hook.

"You're here!" Kim exclaimed. She worked here, too.

"Yeah. You seen Jake today?"

"Aww, look at you - all in _love_. Yeah. He went for a run with the guys."

"Oh. Guess I'll see them tonight." Tonight was our weekly dinner with the Pack at Sam and Emily's house. I started making a cake for it, waiting tables when it was cooking in the oven.

When the shift was over, Kim and I left together. Mom stayed after, having her own dinner with Billy and Old Quil. I took my cake with me and Kim slid into my car.

"How was your day?" I asked her. She smiled.

"Don't scream too loudly, 'kay?"

"Huh?" I glanced at her just as she held up her hand. A diamond wedding band gleamed in the light from the streetlamps. I slammed on the breaks, turning to her. "When? Huh? _What_?"

"Today. Our house. He made me breakfast in bed and then proposed."

"Kimmy...!" I breathed. "Congratulations!"

"Thanks! Promise you'll be my Maid of Honor?"

"Of course! Anything for my Kimmy!" I hugged her tightly and started up the car again. "I'm picturing a beautiful July wedding. On the beach. Oh, you'll look so beautiful!"

"Slow your horses, Miss Lady!" Kim giggled. "I want to plan at least a year before we actually do it!"

"Fine," I grumbled. I really wanted it to be this year. When we got to the house, Kim carried in the cake I'd made. "Did you guys tell everyone?"

"I made calls not even thirty seconds later. They know. I wanted to save the best for last," she nudged me and winked just as we walked in. "Leah made a cake!"

"Yea! Now I don't need to do dessert!" Emily came and took the container from her hands, grinning at me.

"Maybe an hour more and dinner will be ready, 'kay, guys?"

"Sure. Let me help, 'kay?" I said, walking into the kitchen.

"Fine. But as soon as you start looking like your feet are hurting, I'm forcing you to sit down."

0000000000000000000000000000

Seth's P.o.V.

"What are we doing?"

"Correction: what _aren't _we doing?"

Mathai crashed her lips onto mine again, pulling my beanie off and running her hands through my hair. She slid her tongue into my mouth when I gasped for air and pulled me closer.

"Matt-"

She quieted me by pulling me even closer, planting kisses around my jaw line and then back on my mouth. Finally, I pushed her away. We were both breathing heavily and she smiled at me before glancing at my lips. She leaned in but I moved away.

"What?" she asked. She sounded dazed.

"...Why?"

"'Why?'"

"Yeah."

"I don't know '_why_'."

"You obviously do. You're the one that was kissing me."

"And you _obviously _liked it. If you didn't, you would've pushed me away sooner."

Damn. Got me there.

"Matt-"

"I like you," she blurted out. "A lot. In only two short months, you've become the greatest friend that I've met in a long time. And that's saying something. I knew from that first night. 'Member? Gave you my beanie." She picked it up and twirled it around in her fingers. Then she brushed her long hair out of her eyes and looked at me again. "What are you trying to do, catch flies or something? Close your mouth, sweetie." I clamped my mouth shut like she said, just realizing that it was wide open. "Say anything. Laugh. Cry. _Some_thing." She snorted her own giggle and knitted her brows with her signature unsure-of-herself smile.

I honestly couldn't say anything.

But I had to.

"Matt...Whoa. It's just...Ugh..." I rubbed my face. "_Mathai_."

"Mhm?"

"I'm still getting over my girlfriend."

"Yeah."

"And..." I scratched the back of my head.

"You don't like me."

"No, Matt-"

"Not like that. But I do."

"I'm sorry." I felt terrible. Not from the kiss. No, the kiss felt _damn hot_. I was talking about-

Wait.

She kissed me.

And I _liked it_.

We made out.

_And I liked it_.

Now she was telling me that she was practically in _love _with me and...

I didn't mind.

I half expected guilt to weigh me down like soaking wet clothes. I half expected the Pack to burst in and give me those _tsk-tsk _faces. I half expected for Precious to walk through those doors and gaze at me with tear-filled eyes.

Keyword: _half_-expected.

Turning back to Matt, I cocked my head and squinted my eyes. This girl. _This _girl with the curly black hair and the sun-kissed skin. _This _girl with the hazel eyes. _This _girl that was fearless enough to pour out her heart and soul to me.

I loved this girl.

No. I _liked _this girl. There was a difference. I liked her _a lot_.

Satisfying.

I reached out and placed a hand on her shoulder. Without thinking, I pulled her close to me again and kissed her. She moaned and I yanked on her so that she was on top of me. She slowly moved away and smirked.

"Reality check?"

"Duh." I kissed her again and pulled away. "I'm not ready to fully commit, though. Not yet."

"I'll wait."

"Friends?"

"_With benefits_." I chuckled and was soon kissing her again.

Mhm. That's what I thought.

_Damn hot_.

Jacob's P.o.V.

"...G-Glenda," I choked out.

"Yes. How are you?"

"Fine. You?"

"Never been better." She grinned at me and moved so that I could walk in. There were boxes everywhere.

"Transition?"

"Yep. We're moving our things into George's house."

"Oh." So they were going back to La Push. Interesting.

Keithy looked up from his toys and smiled when he saw me. He jumped up and charged my way.

"Uncle Jake!" he exclaimed. I crouched down and welcomed him with a big hug.

"Hey, little man."

"Gramma didn't say you was coming...But you're here now! Is my dad with you?" He looked behind me at the door.

"Sorry, kid. Not today." I didn't tell him where Seth actually was; I didn't have the heart to. Besides, I don't think he'd understand anyway.

"Keithy, honey, go back and play. Me and your _uncle _are going to go talk." Like the obedient kid he was, he walked back into the living room and sat back down. Instantly, he started playing with his Legos. Suddenly he looked up.

"Your uncle and _I_. You got a grammar 'stake," he said. Glenda's smile was tight and forced.

"Excuse me?" she asked. Something in her voice sounded off and I frowned, looking back at Keithy. He returned to his toys.

"Nothing, ma'am."

"With me." Glenda turned curtly and walked into the kitchen. She handed me a bottled water as I sat down. "What brings you by?"

"Just wanted to see Keithy."

"Oh?" She took a sip of water and raised her eyebrows. "He looks to be doing so much _better_, doesn't he? Now that he's away from his-" She cleared her throat. "-_sorry _excuse for a father."

"Don't talk about Seth like that. He's doing the best he can right now."

"And I'm sure being around _dogs _all day is helping him just fine."

"He's getting help," I said through gritted teeth.

"Is he now?"

"Yes. Lakeside Milam."

"_Oh_. High-end. Now isn't that lovely?"

"Okay, Glenda, you know what I _really _came here for." I was done with the game she was playing.

Now I know why Precious lived with her dad.

"You're not getting him back. Being with his father and you lot would be a terrible influence on him. I'm not going to let that happen to my only grandson."

"No one here is a bad influence. If anyone is, it's _you_. Making that big scene in front of everybody. With a social worker and cop and everything? Really? And you took him away from his dad. The only parent he has _left_. And you're saying that _we're _a bad influence?" I growled and her face was blank.

"Gramma?" Keithy whimpered from the kitchen entrance.

"Not now, honey," Glenda raised her eyebrows, but didn't take her eyes off me.

"But it's important."

"_What_?"

"Is Uncle Jake coming to take me back to Daddy?"

"No. Actually, he was just leaving."

"Oh." Glenda turned to me and smiled.

"Goodbye, Jacob." She waved. "_Out or I'll call the police_." Silently, I growled at her again, but stood. I picked up Keithy and gave him a tight hug.

"You can always call me. Whenever you want to. Okay?" I whispered into his ear.

"Mhm." I set him back down and he watched me go.

I'd never forget his face that day.

Leah's P.o.V.

"Where is he?" I asked, pacing around the living room. I bit on my nail and watched the clock. Jacob should be here by now; it was 8:21.

"He probably got caught up with work?" Kim tried.

"Oh, I'm sure grading a few tests would take _days_," I said sarcastically.

"Don't take it out on us! It's not our fault that your boyfriend is showing up-"

"Here! Whew, sorry, guys. Man, I'm _starving_." Jacob walked in, kissed my cheek quickly, and sat down at the table where his plate was patiently waiting for him.

"Man, where _were _you?" Jared asked. He wrapped his arms around Kim.

"I had something to do," Jake answered with food in his mouth. I sat down next to him and he smiled at me before swallowing. His face got serious. "Glenda's moving back to La Push with George. She's bringing Keithy."

"Now why would this fool come back here and show her sorry face..._Ooh_..." Farah clenched her hands, wrenching an imaginary neck. "I _hate _that woman. Who takes a little boy away from their..._Ooh_." Embry sighed and rubbed his imprint's leg.

"But...There was something off about the two. Like..." He leaned forward and placed his elbows on his knees. "She said something and little man - it took all of my willpower not to give him a huge high-five then and there - corrected her. Apparently she had said something wrong. Anyway, she was like 'excuse me?' And then Keithy turned back and played with his toys like she had pushed some button and commanded him to. It was _that _robotic. He said 'nothing, ma'am' and just...Played.

"But when I _left_...That's what got me the most. His face. It was like he was begging me not to leave. Like if I did, he'd die or something. I dunno. He probably just really misses Seth, or something."

"If she lays as much as a _finger _on my baby..." I stood up with anger. "If she's hurting him or something, I need to know."

"That's the thing. I _don't_."

"When are they going to be here?" Sam asked. Jake shrugged.

"Soon. The house was _filled _with boxes."

"That's just enough time for Seth to get back," I said. "He should be coming soon, right?"

"It's what Carlisle said. He should be back tomorrow," Sam shrugged.

"Wouldn't it be great to have a little 'welcome back' party for him? And if Keithy could be here..." I smiled. "He'd just light up." I grinned at Jake, who grinned at me.

"Don't scare him too much. He'd probably piss his pants if we popped out of nowhere on his first day back," Paul laughed.

"Fine. But I call dibs on the first hug," I said. I smiled again. "My baby bro's coming back...Do you think he's changed?"

Seth's P.o.V.

"Come with me."

"Are you _crazy_?"

"Yeah."

"But my brother and sisters...And my aunt."

"We'll send them a postcard." Matt smirked at me.

"You just think of _everything_, don't you, hot stuff?"

"You bet."

"Still can't go."

"Oh."

"But we'll meet up sometime, yeah?"

"Yeah." She kissed me and gave me a long hug.

"I'll call you. Every day."

"Every day?" I raised an eyebrow.

"You bet. Maybe you might even get it in..." she smiled seductively.

"With a phone?"

"Hell yeah."

"I'm down with that. Let's have some _phone sex_." I winked at her. She raised an eyebrow.

"If you're lucky. You feelin' lucky?"

"Like a four-leaf clover, baby."

"Good. Midnight. Tonight. Pick up." I smiled at her and kissed her again. She laughed and slapped my arm. "Go back to your fams, hotshot." I climbed onto the bus and sat down, looking out the window at her. "Bye, sweetie." She grinned once more and turned away. The bus pulled out.

I'm going home. Home. Home. Home. To the Pack. My sister. Mom. Imprints. Cullens. Everything.

You know what?

It terrified me.

I still got the shakes at night 'cause sometimes I couldn't get to sleep. Then I thought about taking a hit and then I'd have to fight with my body and tell it 'no.'

Body no likey.

After that, I'd be awake the whole rest of the night, digging my fingers into the bed to keep from giving in to the cravings. That, unfortunately, was still kind of often. But I'm getting better.

At least that's what Dr. Daniels had said.

I changed a lot. A _whole _lot. Nowadays, Matt was the only one that could make me smile. And that wasn't really that often. My face had become hard. And it seemed like I lost a little of my russet color. My eyes seemed harder to me. Colder.

Now it was probably going to get worse because she wasn't with me.

The beanie almost _never _came off. After Matt and I had established ourselves as FWBs (friends with benefits - cheesy, I know), it came off even less. And guess what else she did? Go on. Guess.

She pierced my right ear. In. My. _Sleep_.

"Priceless," she had always said.

Yeah. Priceless. Insert eye-roll here.

There were a lot more changes done to me, too, and ninety-eight percent of me was excited for everyone to see it. Didn't show it, though.

The other two? Terrified. What would they say? What would they do?

The bus ride was fairly short, and I kept my face emotionless when I saw the 'Welcome to La Push' sign.

Population: 731.

I paid for the bus and got out, lugging my suitcase with me. I passed familiar houses, naming each family that lived there in my head.

Greene. Middlebrook. South. Harris...

I sped up.

Neill. Lakeland.

I stopped at one near the woods. My car was still parked there. But the windows were dark. It looked uninviting.

I went and laid my suitcase against the couch, next to the table with the picture of us on it. Me, Precious, and Keithy.

I left before I got caught up.

Morris. Young. Clearwater...

I stopped again.

The house was dark and there were no cars in the front. Mom must've been at work, or something. Leah must've been with her.

Damn. She was probably huge by now.

I continued.

Lahote. Call. Ataera.

I never realized how close those three lived. That must've been hell.

Black. All alone in its Chief-of-La-Push-lives-here glory.

Then, finally, Uley.

I moved my headphones so that they rested on my neck. It looked the same. Less snow, though. And a lot of cars were in the driveway. I recognized the nicer-looking ones as the Cullens.

Instantly, I heard laughter and talking.

I almost smiled.

Almost.

I didn't turn my music off and took a breath before knocking once. I opened the door slowly.

"Hey..."

00000000000000000000000000

Jacob's P.o.V.

Seth placed his hands in his pockets and shrugged, looking around. He was enveloped in hugs after that. Leah, of course, getting the first one. He smiled at her, but it was small. Barely noticeable. The guys slapped his back and I gave him a fist bump before a hug. I moved away and everyone got their first real look at him.

Paul whistled.

"Damn." Seth leaned forward a bit with a smirk.

"What?"

"You changed, bro."

"Nah, really?" Embry flicked his right ear and laughed.

"Look at that. Nice." He took off his hat and Seth reached for it.

"Give it back, Em." Embry tossed it to Quil.

"You need a haircut," Quil said. Embry ruffled up Seth's hair and Quil tossed the hat back. Seth pulled it on.

"What if I don't want one?"

"Ooh, rebel!" Farah elbowed him and Seth winked at her.

"Any _other _changes we should know about?" Rachel asked.

"Hmm..." Seth pulled off his sweatshirt. "New ink."

"Great..." Sue looked at the ceiling.

"No, you'll like this, mum. I got your name."

"Aww..." Kim cooed.

"And Leah's." He pointed at his bare shoulder blades, where the girls' names were written. On his chest, where his heart was, his imprint's name was written. "She's close to me all the time." He pulled on his sweatshirt again and shrugged, glancing down.

"_Aww_...!" Kim and Emily cooed.

Leah hugged him and he just looked down at her, not wrapping his arms around her torso.

"It's great to have you back, Baby Bro. I missed you."

"I take it that Dr. Daniels was of great help to you?" Carlisle asked with a smile. Seth nodded and shrugged again.

"Yeah. Great."

"Good."

"And...!"

"What?"

"The number!" Leah said in a 'duh' voice. Seth just knitted his eyebrows together. I rolled my eyes.

"How long you been clean, bro?" I asked.

"Oh." He smiled. Big this time. "Sixty-four days." He rolled his eyes. "And counting." The house filled with cheers and Leah hugged him again. He pulled away and looked a serious. "It's still hard, though. I'm being honest, it's _hard_. A lot of the time, at night, I think about it and it won't get off my mind. Then..." He sighed. "It's cool. I'm getting better still."

"I know you are." Leah hugged him again. "I'm proud of you. Dad would be, too." Seth's face turned hard. Harder than I've ever seen it in my life. That's when I noticed his eyes. They weren't as brown. They were cold. Almost lifeless. And his jaw looked like it was permanently fixed in a tight position.

"Yeah. I'm sure he would." Emily rubbed her hands together.

"Hungry? I made _food_!"

I gave Seth one last look and took a spot at the large dining room table. He sat down in between me and his mom. He seemed to space out; his eyes were fixed on the far wall.

"Hey." I tapped his shoulder.

"What?" he glanced at me.

"How was it?"

"Rehab?" He laughed once. "Now I know why Amy Winehouse sang about it the way she did." I laughed. "But..." He rubbed his wrist and messed around with the hat on his head. "It wasn't all that bad, I guess." The table was listening to him intently as he told his story. "First night I was there, I was a wreck. Then, out of the blue, there was Matt. Came in, and the first thing out my mouth was 'do you have any?'" He looked up. "I asked for quartz. White stuff. 'Anything' I said. Little Bit just went into a story 'bout...Well, me. Didn't even know me yet knew everything _about _me." He was looking at me the whole time then his eyes swept across the table. "Gave me this." He glanced up at the hat then back at everyone else. He smiled.

"Wait. _Matt_. As in _dude_...?" Paul looked confused and so did Seth for a second before he shook his head.

"No. Paul, just...No. Matt's a girl."

"Thanks for clearing that up, bro."

"Her name's Mathai. But I like Matt better. She's five and a half feet of fiery energy and helped me through a lot of everything that I went through." He looked at the ceiling and smiled, whistling a bit. "Damn hot," he breathed with a chuckle. He went back to his emotionless expression and I glanced at Leah. She flashed her eyes at me and then returned them back to her brother.

"More about _Matt_, Baby Bro," she said.

"More? Mm..." He leaned on the palm of his hand, messing around with the food on his plate. "Not really much to tell. Wait. Rephrase that. _Too much _to tell." He laughed once, his face never giving way to a happy feature. He shrugged and looked at everyone else staring at him. He knitted his eyebrows together. "What?"

"You're just different," Quil said. "Smile much?" Seth only shrugged and then grinned wide.

"Better?"

"A lot. Thanks." Seth kind of narrowed his eyes, as if thinking about something, then sat up.

"You know what I could _really _go for? A run. That'd be _great_."

"We just started eating," Emily whined.

"S'fine. I can wait." He smiled again and sat back in his chair. "So have you all seen that new Spiderman movie? Heard it's just _amazing_." He waggled his eyebrows.

"Yeah. We saw it yesterday," I said slowly, taking Leah's hand. She smiled at me.

"Emma Stone's kinda hot, don't you think?" he asked, taking a sip of his water. He didn't wait for me to answer and spotted my hand in Leah's. He raised his brows. "Hm." His eyes met mine. "Smokin'." He finished off his water and turned to Kim and Jared.

"Finally."

"Excuse me?" Kim knitted her eyebrows together.

"The ring." He nodded at Kim's finger and she smiled.

"Oh. Yeah." Seth hummed the _Wedding March _for a second.

"So when's it gonna' happen?"

"Hopefully next spring," Jared answered. Seth nodded and cocked his head.

"Yeah. Hopefully." He turned back to me. "So when'd this happen?"

"When'd what happen?"

"_That_." He pointed to my hand.

"Last month," I answered. I massaged Leah's knuckles with my thumb and she smiled at me before sending one her brother's way.

"That's special," was his response. He sounded almost sarcastic. Sickened by this.

He picked up his empty glass and kind of played around with it in his hand.

"Gotta' be careful with her. She's like...Glass. Easy to break." His hand shook and he squeezed the cup in his hand. It shattered and the whole table jumped. Seth stood up and was in my face in only a second. "Don't _touch her_."

"Bro-"

"I'm not..." He squeezed his eyes shut and turned away, clenching his fist. He turned back to me again. "She's already been hurt so many times. And I..." He growled and let out a frustrated scream. "Don't touch her. Don't go near her." I growled back at him and stood, pushing him away.

"I can do whatever the hell I want to do." He pushed me back, harder this time.

"Boys!" Leah yelled. Seth stalked towards me.

"_Bro_. What the hell is _wrong _with you? You can't just come in here and-" I pushed him away. "-Establish yourself as-" I pushed him again. "-Boss. I already have too many to worry about anyway. Now I got some tiny-ass _pup _coming in here, expecting me to obey his every will and way?" I pushed him again. "Don't think so. _Bro_." He growled at me.

"As long as I'm here, you're not going to lay another finger on her," he growled. "I'm not letting anything happen to her." I almost laughed out loud at his weak comeback. I decided to say something that'd tick him off even more.

"Damn. If you _knew _the things I did to her..." I smirked. He growled louder and pushed me onto the table. Plates were everywhere and I felt something warm slide down my face. Seth was punching me and everyone was shouting and screaming. Suddenly he stopped and I sat up, wiping my lip.

Sam had him in a tight hold, but the kid was thrashing around and shouting profanities. He spit in my direction and it landed on my face.

"You little bitch..." I jumped off the table and ran towards him. He thrashed even more but someone else grabbed me. I elbowed Paul and he let go.

"Jake, stop!" Leah screeched. "Jacob!" Seth was out of Sam's grasp and I was punching his face now.

"You don't come in here-" I landed one on his nose. "-Telling _me_-" I raised my fist to punch him but Leah screamed.

"STOP!" I turned to her. Her eyes held fear and sadness and pain. "I..." She swallowed. "My...M-my water just broke."

**He-he. Cliffhanger. Review.**

**~SashaFierce12.0**


	14. Chapter 14

**Wow! I was so shocked at all the reviews and feedback I got from the last chapter! And I got some new reviewers as well! **Jayd Izabel Carter Marie** and **Guest**. Thanks a lot! Your comments made me smile!**

Music and Feathers** - don't worry. I'll try to live up to your requests. But now I just gotta' get focused on this chapter!**

**Oh, and for some reason, some person keeps reviewing as **Anonymous**. They're rude, obnoxious, and obviously jealous that me and everyone else can write better than they can. So, I just want to put up the review that they had before I deleted it...**

_:Damn this story, from what makes sense, is fucking stupid and why the hell do_

_you change the summary of the story EVERY FUCKING CHAPTER? That's not what_

_you're supposed to do dumbass._

**Wow. That's...Wow. Honestly, I don't know why you said that. And I change the summary because I CAN. It's not your story. It's mine. So. Yeah. And really, if you hated my story that much, you wouldn't have reviewed. So it just goes to show that you're obviously jealous and insecure of yourself. And I don't care if you keep reviewing like that. 'Cause I know that I have plenty of other fans that love my stories. One person is **_**nothing **_**compared to the hundreds of people that check into my chapter every time I review. **

**Anyway...**

**ON WITH THE STORY!**

**So...Read!**

**~SashaFierce12.0**

_March until due date: 52_

Chapter Fourteen

Jacob's P.o.V.

I froze, my fist only inches from connecting with Seth's face. The house was silent until I heard a cracked glass roll by my foot. It bounced off and then rolled over to Leah. Her eyes were glossy and her face was filled with pain.

"What?" Seth asked.

"It did? Leah, you're-"

"I _know_!" she yelled. "I know." She stared back at me and swallowed. Her mom placed a shaking hand on her shoulder.

"Were you contracting? Where does it-"

"NO! It didn't...No. I'm not having the baby." She stared hard into my eyes. "I just needed something to stop them."

Seth growled at me, "You see what you did? You made Leah lie so that you could-"

"Oh, shut _up_, you little-"

"Little? I _know _you didn't just call me-"

"STOP _fighting_," Leah screeched. Her voice was raspy. "_Stop_." I stood up and took a step towards her. She took one back. "No."

"Leah-"

"_No_." I reached out for her and she jumped back like I'd burned her. "DON'T...! _Touch me_," she hissed. A tear broke free from her eye and I felt like I'd just been stabbed. She turned to Sue. "Mom. I want to go away. I just want to go away." Sue wrapped her arms around her shoulders and maneuvered around the broken glass plates.

"Leah," I sighed. She didn't answer. Not even a look back as she walked out the door.

000000000000000000000000000

Seth's P.o.V.

"She hates me. I know she hates me."

_"She's your sis. She can't hate you." _

"Try telling that to _her_." Matt just huffed out a breath and I could tell that she was rolling her eyes.

_"Hey, I gotta' run. Talk to you later, hotshot." _

"Yeah. See you, Little Bit." The line went dead and I put the phone back on its hook. I looked around the dimly lit room and sighed again.

Leave this place alone for three months and it gathers more dust than a library's bookshelf.

Screw it.

About thirty dollars of paint, brushes, and an easel later, I was outside on the front porch. Bobbing my head to a song from my iPod, I just painted. It was relaxing.

I picked up the brush I used for the red and put the other one in my mouth. A woody taste hit my tongue but I didn't care. It was almost delicious.

I hummed along to some song by Jessie J, not really paying attention to it. Right now, I was in the zone. I couldn't hear the birds or the kids playing at the other houses. I couldn't hear the cars passing by or the wind blowing cold air around. And I _definitely_ didn't hear the guys as they creeped up on me.

"_Stare at my reflection in_ -" I glanced up from the painting at Paul looking over the top of it. He stared at me and I just returned my gaze back to the piece of paper, trying to get the nose right.

"Kid."

I turned up my music as high as it could go, trying to drown him out. Even if I went deaf when I was older, I'd definitely never regret it.

I took the brush out of my mouth and used the black paint to do the hair. I used medium-sized strokes, making it look like the wind was blowing through Keithy's hair as he ran around the woods. I was almost done with his top half.

I wiped paint off the brush and stuck it back in my mouth again, grabbing two more brushes to start in on his skin color and the red in his cheeks.

"_Brushing my hair do I look perfect_?" I hummed to this part and then got white paint on my hands. "Shit." I wiped it on my jeans, adding it to the rainbow of other colors already there. I held the other two brushes in my mouth as I rolled up my sleeves then took them out.

And the guys were still there.

I slowly stopped bobbing my head and put the brushes back into their jar. I moved my headphones to my neck and stared back at them.

"What?"

"We've been here for ten minutes and you ignore us. Now,_ finally_, you want to acknowledge our existence?" Jared asked.

"Oh, well if you didn't want me to I can just-"

"No! No. Sam told us to come and look after you," Embry said.

"The three of you...?"

"Yeah."

"What about Jacob?"

"What _about _Jacob?"

"_He's _the one that tried to kill himself."

"But _he's _not the druggie," Paul said. Embry elbowed him and I rolled my eyes.

"Just what I need. A bunch of stupid, muscled babysitters. _Just _what I need."

"Hey, you can at least be a little more enthusiastic," Jared cocked his head.

"Oh, joy! I get to be babysat! That's _exactly _what I wanted! _Thank you_, Sam! It's the best two-months-before-my-birthday-present _ever_!" I grinned and then wiped it away, turning it into a scowl. I moved my headphones back to my ears just as the song ended. "And you made me miss my favorite song, too. You guys are the _best_."

"That's what repeat's for, bro," Paul smirked.

"I'm _not _your..." I let out a frustrated growl. "Well I don't _feel _like listening to that song anymore. You ruined my mood. Now I don't know what to listen to. Thanks, Paul. Thank you _bunches_." I put my iPod on shuffle and returned back to painting.

I could feel someone behind me and paused, the brush hovering above Keithy's hair. Ever-so-slowly, I moved my eyes to look behind me.

Paul.

Big shocker there.

I turned down the song and sighed gruffly.

"What now?"

"I just wanted to see what you were painting."

"Well could you stand back a little farther? I don't like you breathing on my neck."

"Sure." I supervised his movements then returned to what I was doing, turning my music back up once again.

"What _is _it?" Embry asked, referring to my painting. I ignored him and continued.

"It's obviously his _son_," Jared answered.

"I don't see it," Embry tilted his head and squinted his eyes.

"Really, Em? Really?"

"Really."

"He's painting in a face _right in front of you_," Jared said in a 'duh' voice.

"Still doesn't look like Keithy to me." I tightened the grip on the brush and tried to block them out through the music, but, damn wolf hearing, I could still hear them. I dug deeper and tried to push them out until Jared and Embry started arguing louder.

"If you are _that _blind that you can't see-"

"It doesn't look like him. I'm not _blind_, Jare."

"You sure about that?"

"I'm _just _saying that it's not all that good to me." That's when I swiped the brush the wrong way and a big blob of black paint was soon covering the face. I froze and stared at it, my jaw slack.

I'd _never_ messed up before. This was terrible. Horrific, even. It was like looking at the face of Freddy Krueger. Yeah. That scary.

"Seth-" I found myself growling and I threw the paintbrush down, ripping the paper from its easel. I only got half of it and quickly clawed at the other half. I balled it up and threw it behind me.

I'd never messed up. Never.

I placed my hands on my head and pressed down hard enough so that even if it broke and shattered to pieces, I could still keep those pieces in place. I dug my finger nails into my beanie, hard enough that it went inside the stitches and I could feel my hair.

That had been the only picture I could grasp from my son. Of how he looked now, I mean. That had been from pure memory. The last _good _one that I'd remembered of him. I _had _to paint it before it was gone. Now..._Now_...

It was gone. I couldn't find his face in my thoughts. And the one I did, he was crying. That last night I'd seen him. The one he was-

I let out a scream in frustration. I pressed a hand to my head, noticing that it was hotter than before. Then I sniffed and opened the door to my house.

"Dude-"

I growled at him.

"I don't 'mess up."

Before they said anything else, I slammed the door shut. So hard, the windows quivered.

Jacob's P.o.V.

"_Hey, it's Leah."_

"Leah, I-"

_"Can't come to the phone right now, 'cause I'm out living my life. You only live once, right? Leave it at the beep!" _

I growled and pressed the 'end call' button then tried again.

"Jake-"

_"Can't come to the phone-"_

Growling again, I threw my phone onto the couch.

"Jake, how can you expect her to pick up?" Sam asked.

"I didn't know she'd stay mad at me for this long," I shrugged. Since the fight with Seth, I haven't seen or heard from her.

It's been three days.

"Just give it some time."

"I'm not a patient person. You know that." I crossed my arms and looked out the window. The grass still held snow in some areas, but small sprigs of grass tried to push their way through.

Sam sighed, "Yeah. I know. Hey, why don't you go patch things up with Seth?"

"I'm desperate. Just not that desperate."

"Jacob..."

"It's not my fault the kid went all crazy-psycho-lunatic on me. I was only defending myself."

"Yeah. Uhuh." He gave me the Sam Look that he reserved mostly for Embry and Quil. I rarely ever got it, and when I did, I knew that the conversation was going to be over soon. He'd most likely win.

Okay. He _would _win.

Didn't stop me from trying.

"Go out and talk to him."

"Sam-"

"I'm not asking you anymore, Jacob. I'm telling you. He's your brother. Brothers don't fight."

"Tell that to _him_." Sam's Look returned and I groaned and looked at the ceiling. "_Fine_. But only because I don't want Leah to be mad at me anymore." I opened the door and walked out to the Rabbit. Getting in and sighing once, I started it and drove to his house.

The first thing I noticed were the paint stains on the stairs and deck. An easel was rested near the porch swing, a blank canvas on that. There were bottles of paint everywhere, and brushes cluttered the swing's seat.

What is he, some kind of Picasso?

I hesitated before ringing the doorbell. A little bit of me hoped he had been sleeping, just so he was pissed when he woke up.

I knocked three times on the door and heard his voice.

"I'm _coming_, gol_ly_." He thrust it open. "What?" he hissed. He rubbed one of his eyes tiredly and sniffed.

One point - Jacob Black.

He only wore a pair of jeans and he didn't have on the beanie. His hair stuck up every which way. But, somehow, I could see Leah in him. It kind of made me forget about what had happened Tuesday night.

A small smile appeared on my face and I placed my hands in my pockets.

"Let me in?"

"I hope you're asking me, 'cause the answer is _no_." He shut the door but I stuck my foot in to stop it, opening it wide and waltzing in. "I have the right to call 911. You know I'll do it." I snatched up the phone before he could do anything. "I will run out this house screaming at the top of my lungs that some-"

"Shut _up_, Seth." I put the phone on top of the side table and returned my gaze to him. Then I shrugged. "I came so that we could end things."

"For good? Okay. Then I'll never have to talk or see you again, right? And you'll stay away-"

"No. Seth not like that. _No_. I'm talking about this fighting. We gotta' stop." He stared at me as I sat down. Carefully, he took a seat on the floor across from me. "What...What _provoked _that, anyway?"

"...Dunno. It's what I felt like doing."

"What you _felt _like-"

"I don't like seeing my sister with other guys. It makes me scared and anxious and lately sick to my stomach."

"Why?"

"'Cause I might not always be there for her if she got hurt, or something. That kills me inside. Tuesday, I got this weird feeling in my gut when I saw you hold her hand. It made me wanna' puke. So...I just wanted to get rid of the feeling, I guess." He shrugged and pulled one of his legs up to rest his chin on it.

"Okay." I nodded. "I used to get kind of jealous when I saw my older sisters with guys. The time they spent with them, they used to spend with me. It made me, I dunno..."

"Mad? Angry? 'Cause that was time that you couldn't spend with them? Yeah. I get that feeling a lot." He rolled his eyes and I just smiled at him.

"Give it time. It'll pass. You just gotta' get used to it."

"Whatever." I stood and held out my hand to help him up.

"No hard feelings?" I asked. He kind of looked at my hand then back at my face. He smirked and I helped him back onto his feet.

"Sure. But Jake?" I turned to look at him, my hand on the door. He shook his head and smirked. "You're still not my bro."

I rolled my eyes.

"At least...Not yet." He looked out the window, his right leg bouncing up and down. I smiled and walked out the door.

One Clearwater down, one more to go.

  
Leah's P.o.V.

"Right now, your baby is as healthy as ever, Leah. All of her organs are nice and fully formed, and I can see some hair on her head. Her hearing is functional as well, so she'll respond to a lot of noises. Hopefully, you'll feel some kicking soon." Carlisle smiled at me and I smiled back. He handed me a paper towel and I wiped off my stomach before sitting up. "So I can schedule you another appointment next month, and that should be the last one before you deliver, okay?"

"Alright. Thanks, Carlisle."

"Anytime, Leah. Send Sue my regards."

"I will." We waved 'goodbye' to each other and I left the hospital. Sliding into my car I sighed and ran a hand through my hair before returning home.

Getting out of the car had to be the thing I most absolutely hated about cars. Because then, I'd have to get rid of the blanket of warmth that surrounded me. That and the work I did wedging myself between the seat and the wheel all went to waste. Anyway, there was still snow on the ground, and as soon as my feet touched outside, my toes felt like I'd dipped them in a bucket of ice-cold water. It sent shivers up my spine and I ran my gloved hands up and down my arms to try and get warm.

Thermal coat my ass.

I hadn't even gotten to the front door before I realized that I had the lunch shift at the Diner today.

Muttering every profanity that I knew I yanked back open the car door and went through the process of squeezing my giant stomach between the wheel and my seat. When I did, I huffed out a deep breath and turned the car on yet again. And, in m peripheral vision, I saw another car pull up.

The distant ache in my chest started to grow into a more noticeably painful throb.

Jake.

All of me just wanted to drive away and leave him in the dust.

Okay. Let me rephrase that.

All of _brain _wanted to drive away and leave him in the dust. The rest of me wouldn't cooperate and sat there stupidly gripping the steering wheel, watching the reflection of his body get closer in the mirror.

He tapped on the window and gestured for me to roll it down.

I did.

Oh, so _now _I wanted to listen?

"Hey," he simply said, leaning down so I could see him.

"Hey." I didn't meet his eyes. "Shouldn't you be teaching a group of love-struck teenagers right now?"

"It's Saturday, Leah."

"Oh. Yeah."

"Listen," he sighed. "I stopped by to apologize. What I did the other day was way out of line. And I'm sorry. I really want you to forgive me." I gripped the wheel tighter.

"You gave my baby brother a bloody nose and busted his lip," I managed to say.

"...Sorry...?"

"I can't just let you off this easily, Jake." I looked at him and noticed that he looked a bit sad. "But I've been having the most _terrible _chest pains ever since I've been away from you. We haven't seen each other in three days and now that you're here, I just want to kiss you and forget what happened."

"For real?"

"Mhm."

"Then can I kiss you and forget what happened?"

"Did you talk things out with Seth? With_out _beating the crap out of him?"

"Yeah."

"Okay." I pressed my lips to his and suddenly felt warm all over. My heart fluttered and the pain in my chest was instantly gone. That's when I felt something thumping against my stomach. I jumped away from him with a gasp.

"What?" he asked. He looked disappointed and a little worried. The thumping continued and I placed a hand against my abdomen.

"She's kicking." I did my best not to squeal in excitement and bit my lip, holding back a smile. Jake smiled at me and I grabbed his hand and placed it where the kicking was. "Feel it?"

"Yeah. Wow, Lee."

"Mhm. She must like your kisses."

"Think so?"

"Know so."

"Estrella's got _excellent _taste in men." He winked at me.

"Is there ever a moment when you're not so egotistical?" Jake just shrugged and rubbed my belly, making Estrella kick more.

"Does it hurt?"

"No. It feels kind of good."

"Cool." He moved his hand away and brushed some hair back behind my ear. "Where you headed?"

"The Diner. I have the lunch shift."

"Should be fun."

"Yeah. Fun. So let me go, 'kay?"

"'Kay. I'll see you..." He frowned at something out the passenger's seat window and didn't finish his sentence.

"What?" I looked, too, and frowned as well.

He was running down the street with his little Spongebob book bag bouncing against his back. He looked frantic and tired.

Jake ran and caught him in his arms. He instantly started to cry.

"Shh...Shh, it'll be okay, little man."

Keithy only held him tighter. I squeezed out of the seat and ran over to them, rubbing my hand down his cheek.

"What happened? Where's your grandma?"

Keithy sniffed before replying, "I runned away. I want my dad."

"You ran a..." I breathed. "Keithy, you got here by yourself? Where's your grandma?"

"At home."

"Home?" I was confused. I hoped he had moved here and was talking about the La Push home and not the one in Tacoma.

"Uhuh. She was mean ta' me. She said I look like Mommy and it made her too sad so I had to go ta' my room and play quiet. And sometimes, she hit me with a belt."

"Hell no," Jacob growled and I grabbed Keithy out of his arms and headed to my car.

"This lady will _never _lay a hand on you again."

"Don't take me back. Please? I wanna' be with Daddy."

"You'll be with him. Don't worry. But right now, Glenda's in trouble." I strapped him in and climbed into my own seat, narrowing my eyes at the road. "And it's gonna' be hell to pay."

"_There _you are. Oh, I've been worried _sick _about you!" Glenda saw us pull up and then Keithy in the back seat. I jumped out and was soon yelling at her.

"You hurt him!" she screeched.

"What?"

"You're a _terrible _person, Glenda Harris!"

"I only did what I thought was right."

"So you _hit _him with a _belt_?"

"I won't deny it. I didn't fully abuse him. Plenty of parents spank their children."

"Well you're not his parent," I hissed.

"I'm his legal guardian."

"Like hell you are! You snatched him away from his dad. My baby was running down the street and when we saw him, he even _asked _for his dad. He's even begging not to be with you!"

"Well he doesn't have a choice." That's when I punched her.

"_I _didn't have a choice. Ooh, you better be lucky I'm pregnant. If it wasn't for this kid I got in me right now, you'd have _way _more than a tiny bruise. But don't give me a reason to go gorilla on you. _I will_."

"I'm calling the police."

"Call them. _Call _them. _I want you to_." Glenda rubbed her jaw and her eyes shot daggers at me.

"George!"

_In Court...March 27_

"Your honor, I've been fighting for custody of my son for basically all of his life, and she-" Seth pointed at Glenda who rolled her eyes. Her cheek was purple from where I'd punched her, but I knew it was makeup.

That woman was sick.

"-took him away from me after I'd just gotten him back. He was physically taken, a social worker took his hands and had to drag him away from me."

"Only because you wouldn't give him up in the first place," Glenda leaned forward.

"Well _excuse me _if I actually show _love _for my own-"

"Order! Order in the court!" the judge hit her grabble on her desk and folded her hands together. Glenda's lawyer walked forward.

"Your honor, I'd like to call Seth Clearwater to the stand," he said politely. She nodded and Seth gave out a low growl before walking to where he was directed. He swore up all that stuff that you're supposed to swear and crap, then the lawyer started up on questions. "I understand that you've had...Certain _issues _in the past, Mr. Clearwater?"

"Yeah...Yes," my brother nodded slowly.

"Certain _drug _related issues...?" the lawyer pressed. Seth sighed.

"Yes." The lawyer turned to the judge.

"Your honor, it has been brought to my attention that _this _young man was indeed a drug addict." Seth looked down. "Chrystal meth." Seth winced. "Cocaine." He gritted his teeth together and the lawyer smirked. "Heroin." I gulped. I knew about the drugs. I didn't know _of _the drugs, though. The Pack must've not known either and kind of stiffened. Paul leaned forward, his jaw tight. Embry pressed his hands together like he was praying and leaned his forehead on them. The lawyer returned his attention to Seth. "Do you deny this?" The quiet and tension was so thick, I was almost choking.

"...Yes." Murmurs were heard throughout the courtroom.

"No further questions," the lawyer sat down and Seth moved back to his seat. I pursed my lips together and stood up.

"Your honor, _I _have a question for him." I gestured to Seth.

"She's not allowed to do that," Glenda protested.

"My court. My decision." Judge Koreen turned back to me with a nod and a small smile. "Go ahead, honey."

"Keyword: _was_. Seth, he said 'was'. As in _were _you?"

"Yeah."

"Hm. How long have you been drug free, young man?"

"Seventy days," Seth answered. The judge smiled down at him.

"Great job." She turned back to me. "You can sit down, sweetie." I did and Jake squeezed my hand. "Now, both of you have made excellent points today. Ms. Harris," Judge Koreen took off her glasses, "you _have _had custody of the child the longest and it would make sense to let you keep him. And Mr. Clearwater, it would make sense to let the child be with _you _also, seeing as you are the biological father. However, even though you've changed your life, there is the risk of a relapse. And then it would _not _be safe for the child to be around you." Seth nodded and looked down. "But, I have made my decision." I squeezed Jake's hand with my other in anticipation. Everyone was on edge. "I think that it is best...If the child stays with his father." I gasped and my head shot up. Emily and the other girls squealed and the judge held up her hand. "On the condition that you have monthly visits from a social worker. And promise me, Mr. Clearwater, that you will continue to stay drug free." She smiled at him. "I'll be praying for you."

"Yes, ma'am."

"Bring the child in." An officer opened the door and another one held Keithy's hand as they walked down the aisle way. "Go to your papa, honey." Keithy ran to Seth, who caught him in his arms and squeezed him tight. The Pack all cheered and wolf whistled. My brother kissed the top of Keithy's head and smiled at the judge again.

"Thank you."

"You're welcome. Court dismissed." She pounded the grabble on the desk once more and we all jumped out of our seats to hurry over to Seth. His forehead was leaned against Keithy's and he was whispering something to him then he hugged him tightly again.

I pushed through everybody and hugged my brother, too.

"Congratulations, Baby Bro." For the first time since he'd been back, Seth wrapped an arm around me.

"Thanks."

"So what now?" I looked up at him. He smirked.

"I'm gonna' take my son home."

**Yea! He's back and better than ever! Remember to review, guys!**

**~SashaFierce12.0**


	15. Chapter 15

**I'm back!**

**This chapter is kind of something for the review I got from **DANI TheBlackwaterHippie BLACK**. You guys can go see it if you want, it's at the very top. And, yes, I see that you're right. So, for the sake of you, I'll stop changing the summary of my story every time I upload. Oh, and I was just hoping that you would've waited for the Seth thing because I have something in store for that. And, I'm really hoping that you'll still read my story and see what happens, please? Your review was very...Insightful. And I'm hoping that I can change because of it.**

**So...You're going to see what happens right about...Now.**

**~SashaFierce12.0**

Chapter Fifteen

Seth's P.o.V.

"Go to sleep, kiddo."

"But we gotta' say our prayers first. 'Member?"

"Oh. Right."

Keithy knelt down beside his bed and I got down next to him.

"We gotta' fold our hands and close our eyes." He nudged me. "Fold your hands and close your eyes, Dad!" he whispered sharply.

"What? Oh." I did as he said.

"Okay. Say it with me?"

"Now I lay me down to sleep," we started together. "I pray the Lord my soul to keep. And if I die before I wake, I pray the Lord my soul to take."

"A_men_!" Keithy said loudly.

"Alright. _Bed_."

"No! Dad! Look! A shooting star!" He scurried over the top of his bed and to the window and opened it, looking out. "Wow! Now I gotta' make a wish!" He ran back over to me and started pushing me out the room. "Out! Get _out_! I gotta' hurry before my wish time gets runned out!"

"Oh, no. I'm _falling_," I said sarcastically. I staggered back as he pushed on me.

"Da-_ad_!"

"Okay, okay, I'm out." I walked out of his room and waited by the door, watching as he kneeled by the window.

"Star, I have bunches of wishes, but what I want the most is for my dad not to get so sad all the time. 'Cause Mommy's in heaven, and he don't have nobody to love no more. Send him somebody so that he can be happy again. I promise that I will be good." He blew a kiss out the window and climbed into bed. "Tuck me in!"

I walked back inside, sitting on the edge of his bed. I pulled the blanket up to his chin and brushed his hair back, then I planted a kiss on his forehead.

"Goodnight. Don't let those bed bugs bite." I chuckled and tickled under his chin. He laughed and settled down.

"'Night, Dad."

Leaving the lamp on his nightstand on, I left, closing the door softly behind me.

I turned and leaned on it, breathing out a rough breath and taking the beanie off my head. I ran my fingers through my hair and slid down to my butt.

He saw a shooting star and spent his wish on me.

_Me _of all people.

I hadn't even known that he knew I still thought about Precious. That was mostly when I thought he was asleep. Most of the time, I'd look at the picture of the three of us and let a few tears fall. If not that, then I'd just sit on the couch and stare blankly at the wall; it'd take me a while to realize I was crying, but when I did, I wiped them away quickly and continued on with my life.

And Keithy didn't help much, either.

Don't get me wrong - I _love _my son. With all my heart and with everything I have and own. But staring into his little face everyday...He looked so much _like _her. Sometimes, I find myself just looking at his face and getting lost. Like, today, we were eating dinner.

"_Dad_, you're letting your chicken get cold. It don't got no smoke anymore," Keithy had said. I had jumped and realized that he was right. I'd just been staring at his face the whole ten minutes we'd been sitting there.

Rubbing my face with my hands I stood up and walked down the hall. I had to get to work. Reid would have my _head _if I didn't have the pictures ready by tomorrow.

00000000000000000000000

Leah's P.o.V.

"Please. You've already taken one person away from me. Don't...Don't do this to me."

_"You know what we want," _Claude answered, his thick English accent coming out with each syllable._ "Besides, it wasn't even our fault that Travis got shot. Now everything's on you. Your little boyfriend owed us three more years. Now, he's gone. So you got a choice here, Leah. And just remember that if you don't take it, we'll find you. And-" _He let out a short laugh. _"You know what happens then, love."_

Don't take the deal, Jake dies. Seth. Mom. And the killing goes on and on until everybody close to me is dead.

_Take _the deal, and no one gets hurt. Nobody.

_"Tick, tick."_

I took a deep breath, noticing that I was shaking.

"Why can't you take me instead? Take me-"

_"It's blood. You're not blood. The line continues with that baby. You're of no use to us."_

I pursed my lips, so many things going through my head.

My mouth spoke before my brain could even register what was happening, "Okay."

_"You've made your decision?"_

"Yes. I'll...It's a deal."

_"Great choice. The Windmill. As soon as it's ready, Leah. Don't forget."_

I breathed out and closed my eyes, "I won't."

_"This conversation's over. Claude's out." _

The phone went dead but I still held it to my ear, clutching it tightly. Finally, I closed it and set it carefully on the bed next to me.

What'd I _do_?

Wait. I could...

No. They'd actually have a reason to kill everyone then.

I clamped a hand to my mouth and started to cry.

What have I _done_?

A sharp pain shot through my body then, and I yelped.

It'd come back.

That was the fifteenth one, and I've been having them all day.

I laid on my side and breathed slowly in and out, waiting for it to pass.

"Mom!" I yelled. It kept on going and I whimpered. "_Mom_!"

"Leah, Leah what is it?" she asked. She was half-asleep but still alert. She pulled her housecoat tighter around herself and rushed to my bedside.

"I think the baby's coming."

00000000000000000000000000000

Jacob's P.o.V.

"Jake!"

I turned and saw Rachel waving to me from the waiting room. She still had her pajama bottoms on, as did most everyone else. The Pack was lounging on couches and Alice sat down next to Seth. He was doing something on his laptop with Keithy laid asleep next to him.

"Hey. Sorry I'm late. What happened?"

"She's in labor."

"What...? She couldn't have waited a few more weeks?"

"Apparently not. They thought it was just Braxton-Hicks, but when they didn't stop, they admitted her."

"I'm gonna' go-"

"They told us to wait. Sue's with her right now, but they won't let anyone else back there."

"Great." I sighed and took a seat next to Paul. Seth shut his laptop and leaned his head back, staring up at the ceiling.

"Screw this. I don't care if Reid fires me, I'm just too worried for her right now," he said and looked down at Keithy. "Poor guy. Had a long day." He set his laptop on the ground and picked his son up, positioning him on his lap.

"No. You need to work. Give me the boy," Emily held out her hands and Seth gave him to her. He picked his laptop back up and opened it, muttering something about bosses and high demands.

Kid, I hear ya'.

It seemed like we were waiting forever before Carlisle came down the hallway. I shot up.

"How is she? The baby? Are they okay?" He sighed.

"Her water broke, but she's only dilated three centimeters. She still has a long while to go. Leah's going to have that baby _today_."

"Aww, _shit_," Paul muttered. Rachel pursed her lips. It was strange not having her hit or slap Paul or something. She hated it when he cussed.

"But I can let one of you back there. To be with her." The Pack nodded at me.

"Go, Jake," Sam nodded. I took in a deep breath and nodded myself. **(A/N: Hm. Everyone's nodding.)** Carlisle led me down the hall and to a room.

Leah was laid in a fetal position on the bed, her eyes squeezed shut. Her mom held a cup with some ice in it and Leah chewed on some.

"Jacob's here," Carlisle announced. I went to Leah's bedside and took her hand.

"Hey, you," I chuckled. She gave her own breathy laugh and opened her eyes before closing them again. She sighed.

"Hey, you. Sorry you gotta' be up this late. I didn't know Mom would go that berserk and call everyone."

"I'm just worried about you, honey," Sue laughed quietly.

"I know, Mom." Leah squeezed her eyes tighter and her face scrunched up. She breathed slowly in and out for a while and gripped my hand for dear life. Soon, though, the grip loosened and Leah let out a sigh of relief.

"Another contraction, huh?" I asked.

"Yeah."

"Does it hurt?"

"Like a bitch."

"Good to know." I smiled at her and brushed some of her hair back.

"Go let them know I'm okay, Mom?" Leah asked.

"Sure, honey." Sue stood up and kissed her daughter's head before exiting the room.

"Jake, I gotta' tell you something."

"What...?"

"It's really important. Just don't...Don't get mad, okay?" She opened her eyes and stared at me. I watched them fill with tears.

"Leah, whatever it is, I won't be mad."

"Okay."

00000000000000000000000000

Seth's P.o.V.

"And...Done! _Yes_!" I smiled and admired the finished product on my computer. The picture was _amazing_, if I do say so myself.

I took nature photos for the 'Back to Nature' part of the newspaper in Seattle. I had gotten a job there when I was at Lakeside Milam, and he'd let me keep the job even though I came back here. Of course, I didn't travel back and forth. I worked from home.

I'd just finished cropping and blurring the ones I'd taken in the forest the other day. I'd taken a great one of a deer and another one of the sky through the trees.

"Wait for it...Wait for it...Send!" I did a small fist pump. "Ha! Mr. Reid, you will be pleased." I rubbed my hands together and shut my laptop, doing a small swagger dance in my seat. "Yes! No more work for the whole _week_!" I continued dancing around and then slowed down, noticing pretty much everyone looking at me. "What? You never seen anyone celebrate before?"

"No, I've seen people celebrate. I haven't seen _Seth _people celebrate," Rachel answered with a smirk.

"Okay, so do you _not _want Seth people to celebrate? You want me to be all like 'oh, great. No more work for the week. Sigh, sigh. What am I gonna' do...?'" I said in a monotone voice. She giggled and I winked at her.

"How'd that dance go?" she asked. She did my swagger dance and I laughed.

"No, no, no. You gotta' put more shoulder into it. Like-" I did it and she nodded before doing the same thing. "See? You got it! Up top, Ray-baby." I high fived her and she laughed again.

"Nicknames! You get to be S-Dog!" she giggled. "No pun intended."

"Sure." I playfully rolled my eyes and she laughed again. It pattered out and she stared at me, cocking her head. "What?"

"Oh. Nothing." She shook her head.

"No, really, what?"

"I don't know...It's just...I feel really good inside knowing that I made you laugh. Voluntarily."

"Oh. Yeah?"

Hm. She did.

"Mhm."

"That means you're cool," I told her. "If you can make me smile, you're gonna' do just fine as Mrs. Paul Lahote."

"Aww, Thanks, Seth." I glanced at Paul and saw him nod at me in a respective gesture. Then my cell phone rang and I frowned, wondering who could be calling me at this time. It was, like, three in the morning.

"Hold on." I stood up and walked a little ways away, answering it. "Matt?"

_"Finally! How do you feel about 731 becoming 732?" _

"Huh?"

_"I miss you so much, hotshot. I convinced my aunty to move us on down there. Then, we could see each other." _

"Matt...!"

_"I told her that it was a nice quiet place with a beach and the people are very..._good-looking_." _I heard the seductiveness in her voice and I felt myself smile. I glanced at everyone behind me.

"When are you getting in."

_"Next week. Then you can introduce me to all your fams and stuff. And you'll get to meet mine. They're sleeping right now, though." _

"Which you should be doing, yeah?"

_"What about _you_, sweetie? Why're you up so late, huh?" _

"My sister's having a baby."

_"Ooh, she in pain?"_

"I guess. I haven't been able to see her. It's a...High risk situation. I've been here since ten last night."

_"Aww, my poor baby," _she cooed in an old 1920s movie-star-sounding voice. _"All worried about his sister..." _

"Yeah. Poor me."

_"I know how to make that _all_ better." _

"Yeah?"

_"Just picture us all alone in a nice room...That bed looking _oh-so-inviting_. You see it, hotshot?" _

"Hell yeah."

_"Our bodies molding together in perfect synch; dancing the night away together. Our lips meet and they move; exploring unchartered land." _

"That-" I grinned. "Sounds..." I glanced at the guys. Sam met my eyes and Paul and Embry knitted their eyebrows together. I turned more. "I gotta' get back to you on that," I whispered.

_"Ooh, my baby's gettin' in trouble...! That's sexy." _

"Yeah?"

_"_Hell _yeah. I make love to you later, sweetie. Until then," _she whispered. The line went dead and I sighed with a smile before putting it back in my pocket. Then I cringed and turned.

"Uhh...Sorry 'bout that." Mentally I kicked myself.

I was flirting openly with my friend and that was the _best I could come up with_?

"So who was that...?" Paul asked. "She sounded..._Frisky_." I could tell that my face had paled.

"How much did you hear?" I hissed.

"Not much. When I heard the word 'unchartered land', _that's _when I started eavesdropping," he answered. Rachel elbowed him. Embry smirked.

"She hot?"

"No..." I shook my head.

_Yes..._

"Aww..." Embry kind of pouted and Farah hit the back of his head. "I mean...I just wanted to know so that I, uh, _know _not to, uh, _look _at her." He laughed nervously and Farah rolled her eyes before turning away. "C'mon, Farah. Don't be like that..."

My phone buzzed and I took it out.

_say my name, say my name_

Matt.

I smiled and sat down, shooting her a quick reply. Then the phone was snatched from me.

"Oh, it's _Matt_," Quil said. Jared took it from him.

"'Say my name, say my name'." He grinned at me. "She must be one pretty hot ugly person."

"Give it back," I growled.

"Oh, wait! He got a new one!" Paul took it from Jared and I stood up. He held me back and had my phone high in the air, reading off it. "'I can't hear you...!' Oh, she wants you to say it louder, Seth!" Sam snatched the phone then and gave it back to me.

"At least _someone _is nice," I frowned at the guys and they just laughed. I texted Mathai back and put my phone away.

"I _love _making fun of Seth," Quil laughed.

"I don't," I grumbled. It was quiet for a while before I felt someone tap my shoulder. "What?" I turned and saw Paul. He smirked.

"Say my name."

I punched him.

00000000000000000000000000

Leah's P.o.V.

Six minutes. My contractions were six minutes apart.

It. Was. Terrible.

I can't even _describe _the pain...The best example is that it felt like someone was stabbing me over and over again with a butcher knife.

Yeah. That bad.

Mom laid asleep on the couch and Jacob massaged my hand at my bedside. I'd told him. I'd told him everything.

We haven't spoken since.

I felt another contraction and whimpered, squeezing his hand tightly. I breathed in and out like Carlisle had told me and it was over. I'd like to say 'soon after that' but then I'd be lying.

Jacob ran a thumb over my knuckles and Carlisle walked into the room.

"Okay, Leah. I'm just going to check you again..." He flipped up the blanket and looked under. After that, he sat back up. "Six centimeters. Only a few more to go."

I felt compelled to ask him if it was too late for an epidural, but I knew it was. I'd missed my chance. I was too caught up in pain to actually _answer _the nurse when she'd asked me.

Too caught up in pain to answer 'yes' to the opportunity to _end _said pain? Yeah. I know. Oh, me.

"You're doing fine, Leah. Just hang in there," Jake whispered. He brushed my hair back and kissed my forehead. "You might've done something that I don't agree with, but I still love you, got that?"

"Mhm." He kissed my forehead again and then my knuckles.

A few more minutes later, I felt another contraction. Then they gradually got closer and closer together until I was in intense pain that wouldn't go away.

I whimpered and soon started crying. It was so bad. It hurt. So. Bad.

"Leah," Jacob brushed more hair out of my face.

"It hurts," I whimpered.

"I know, baby." He wiped tears off my cheeks. "Your mom called Carlisle back in. He's going to check you over one more time."

"Okay." I didn't nod and squeezed Jake's hand tighter (if it were possible). When Carlisle came back, he nodded after checking how dilated I was.

"You're ready to start pushing." After that, it was a blur of people. Jacob pulled his chair closer to my bed and Mom sniffed back tears before going to the other side. Carlisle and three other nurses stood in front of me, two of the nurses holding one of my legs up. The last stood next to Carlisle. "Okay, Leah. On your next contraction, I want you to start pushing, you hear me?"

"Yes." I took in a deep breath when I felt pain and leaned forward.

"One. Two. Three. Four. Five. Six. Seven. Eight. Nine and ten. Relax." I fell back onto my sweat-soaked pillow and couldn't help but start to sob. "I know you're in pain, Leah, but you need to do this." I sniffed and nodded. "Again, ready?" I leaned forward. "One. Two. Three. Four. Five. Six. Seven. Eight...Stop!" I groaned and resisted the urge to scream. Yeah, it hurt, but it didn't hurt as much when I was pushing. Now that I'd stopped and I got this thing stuck in my vagina, I feel all of it.

_All _of it.

"Paulina, get NICU in here _now_. The umbilical cord is wrapped around her neck. I just need to...Okay. Again, Leah. I have her head." I leaned forward and squeezed my eyes shut. "One. Two. Three. Four. Five. Six. Seven. Eight. Nine. Ten. Relax." When I leaned back on my pillow again, I didn't want to go through anymore. I was in so much pain, it was crazy.

"You got this, Leah," Jacob said from next to me. He squeezed my hand quickly and I sniffed.

I got this. I got this.

Because I'm Leah _Clearwater_. I could do anything.

"Ready?" Carlisle asked.

"Ready." I nodded and leaned forward.

"One. Two. Three. Four. Five. Six. Seven. Eight. Nine. Ten. Relax."

Pain left me instantly. I felt free.

I was still breathing hard, my eyes half closed. What had just happened?

_You had a freaking_ baby_, Leah._

I looked at Carlisle holding the little red faced cherub that was my daughter. The little pink crying thing was my _daughter_.

Damn, can that baby wail.

I only got a glimpse of her before she was whisked out of the room.

"W-where are they taking her?" I asked. Carlisle gently pushed me back down. "Where are they taking her?"

"NICU. She's not doing well, Leah."

"What?"

"Our doctors are going to do everything they can, okay? Right now, you need to rest."

"I want to see her, Carlisle."

"And I know that. But right now, your baby needs help."

Seth's P.o.V.

I honestly couldn't stay at the hospital anymore. If Leah had the baby or not yet, I didn't know. I took my son and drove around for a while, not really knowing what I was doing. But when I saw one particular place, my hands moved and I was turning into it.

Keithy was sleeping and I took him out, carrying him along the trail. My heart sped up and I could feel goose bumps rising on my skin as I continued.

Leave this place for three and a half months and yet I feel like I haven't been here in ten years.

Taking a deep breath, I laid Keithy on the bench and sat down next to the headstone.

"Hey, Precious," I started. I sighed and ran my hands through my hair, pulling the beanie off. I thought about Matt and what I had with her. But it was nothing compared to what I had had with Precious; the mother of my son.

For some reason, I started crying. Sobbing.

"I'm so sorry," I whispered.

I felt like I had cheated on her. I felt like a backstabber. She was dead, and I still felt like this.

Pain shot through my chest and I covered my face with my hands, still crying.

And then I realized...

I was still in love with her.

So in love with her, it's killing me. I felt myself caving in and the pain got worse.

Mathai was the rebound. I was lost and broken and she had been there to fill the void. She had been there. And I let her be there.

The things I'd done...I felt horrible for it now. I felt terrible for the both of them. I'd led Mathai on, letting her think that I'd love her back. When, in reality, I wouldn't. 'Cause I couldn't.

I was in love with _my_ _dead girlfriend_.

I cried harder. Not for Mathai. For me. I'd lost something that I'd never be able to get back.

"The things I said..." I cried. I hadn't even told her that I loved her. Well, I did. She just wasn't conscious. She probably couldn't hear it.

We'd argued. And I'd lied to her.

_"I found a stash in the car, Seth."_

I'd told her that it'd been there for a while, when in reality, it had been there for only a few hours. That had been when I went out to shoot up with Gray and some of the other guys.

And now...I couldn't take back that lie. Not a single word.

"Dad?" Keithy sat up from the bench and rubbed his eye with a yawn. "Dad?"

I tried to stop my tears but couldn't. I buried my face into my hands and shook with sobs.

"Dad..." Keithy sat down next to me, rubbing my shoulder with his small hand. "My wish didn't work." I sniffed and looked up.

"No, son, don't say that."

"But you're sad. My wish didn't come true."

"No, no, no." I sniffed again and smiled at him. "See?" I sniffed. "No more tears. No more tears, kiddo."

"But your face is all wet. And your eyes got red. You're still crying on your inside, Daddy." I shot my head the other way and ran a hand through my hair.

"Sorry, Keithy. It's just...I miss your mom a lot."

"Mhm."

"And sometimes, when I miss her too much, I gotta' cry. 'Cause crying...It's good for you. You know that, yeah?"

"Yeah. You told me that b'fore."

"I did, didn't I?" I nudged him with my shoulder and gave a short laugh before nudging him. "I still love her, Keithy. A lot." I looked up, squeezing my eyes as tight as I could. "Maybe when you're older, you'll understand."

"You say that a lot, too. Ever'one does."

"Only 'cause it's true." I nudged him again and sniffed. After that I sighed and closed my eyes. "What's that song Mommy used to sing to you, bud?"

"_His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me_..." he sang quietly. I smiled and pulled him close to me.

"Yeah, that's it. Can you do me a favor, kid?"

"Uhuh."

"Before I go to sleep, can you sing that to me?"

"I'll be just like Mommy!"

"Yeah. Just like her."

"I do that. I can do that." He nodded. I sighed and tugged him closer, returning my gaze to Precious' tombstone.

My love for her only grew.

Leah's P.o.V.

_Three Days Post Birth_

"Are you ready?"

"As I'll ever be." Carlisle smiled at me and led me to the NICU. I looked around at a few of the other babies, some other parents holding them as well. They were smiling sadly and tracing their fingers across their faces, others letting a few tears fall.

I took a deep breath and held Jacob's hand tighter.

"Now, just prepare yourself. Even though we were able to take her breathing tube out, she's still hooked up to a lot of wires. So when you hold her, be careful of them." He stopped at a bassinet where a baby laid just in a diaper. Her eyes were closed and her little chest moved up and down. There were wires everywhere, but I kept my eyes trained on her face.

She looked like him. Oh, Lord, so much like him. She had wispy blonde angel hair that curled down on her forehead.

I sat down and Carlisle picked her up carefully, wrapping her up in a blanket.

"Go to your mother, Estrella," he whispered lovingly. He smiled and set her in my arms.

Ooh, she was so tiny. Really light, too.

_Duh_, Leah.

Her skin was not as dark as mine, but it wasn't as light as Travis' had been, either. Right in the middle.

She shifted then, her mouth opening up in a yawn. I gasped lightly at how precious she was.

"Did I wake you?" I whispered to her. Her head moved from side to side as if saying 'no'. I smiled and she opened up her eyes.

Blue. Like his.

Such a striking blue color. Almost like the sky. Or the ocean.

She closed them again and I held her closer to me. I leaned down and kissed her forehead.

"My Star Pearl. My little Estrella," I whispered. A tear fell off the end of my nose and disappeared into her blanket.

"She wasn't doing so well when we first fed her, but she's getting the hang of it. Now she eats normally. Leah, it's a remarkable thing," Carlisle breathed. "You delivered her four weeks early and she's already doing so well. Simply _remarkable_. If she keeps going down the road she is now, I'd say you'll be able to have her at home with you really soon."

"Thank you, Carlisle," I smiled at him and then returned my attention back to Estrella. "You're coming home soon, baby. With Gramma and me." I massaged her cheek with my thumb.

It may be a cheesy thing, but now I know what Mom and my own grandmother and relatives meant when they said all the pain and suffering would be worth it in the end. Because it was.

My baby looked like Travis. Like her daddy. She was everything I could ask for and more.

I never wanted to let her go.

**Yea! Done, done, done, done! Woohoo! Review!**

**~SashaFierce12.0**


	16. Chapter 16

**I'm sorry this took a long time to update! I've had really bad writer's block so this is the product of writing about a hundred words every day. So, yeah. Enjoy!**

**~SashaFierce12.0**

Chapter Sixteen

Leah's P.o.V.

"_Leah_..."

"Wow."

"Oh, my gosh, she's _gorgeous_. Look at her beautiful hair." Emily sat down next to my bed, holding Estrella carefully in her arms. She was out of the NICU now, and would be able to go home today.

I watched and smiled as Emily stroked Estrella's curly blonde locks. My daughter moved around before whimpering a little and started to cry. Everyone laughed and my cousin handed her back to me.

"Aww, it's okay, baby," I whispered, planting a kiss on her forehead.

"Damn, Leah. When I picture babies, I don't picture them like _that_," Embry said. I knitted my eyebrows together. "It's a good thing," he added quickly. I smiled and nodded.

"She's so _cute_! I can't wait to dress her up in all the little dresses I made her!" Alice squealed, jumping up.

"I like the one she has on now, Alice. You did a great job," I told her, smoothing out the dress Estrella already had on. It was a pretty blue one.

"Thank you!"

"She spent all night on the sewing machine with that," Emmett said, rolling his eyes. Alice giggled and I laughed, too.

"Aunty Leelah!" Keithy ran in and climbed on my bed. He stopped short when he saw the baby in my arms though. "Oh..."

"C'mere, little guy." I patted the space next to me and he tentatively sat down. "This is your cousin, Estrella." He scrunched up his face.

"A _girl_?" he asked. Me and everyone else laughed at his response.

"Yes, a _girl_," I replied. "You wanna' hold her?"

"Is she gonna' cry?" he asked.

"Not if you hold her right."

"Well...Okay." He held out his arms and I set my daughter carefully into them.

"Support her head, sweetie. You gotta' be very careful with her." I moved his hand behind her head and he stared down at her. "There."

"Awww...!" Rachel squealed. Keithy looked at me and frowned.

"How come she's sleeping?"

"Maybe she's tired."

"But I don't get ta' play with her if she's _sleeping_."

"She's a little too tiny to be played with, sweetie."

"Oh." He looked back down at her. "What's her name again?"

"Estrella."

"Oh. Es..._Es_...Mmm...Et_sre_lla." I laughed and shook my head with a wink at the others. He'd get it eventually. I returned my gaze to him just as he said, "I'm gonna' call you Ettie. That's much eas'er than Et_sre_lla." I smiled and sighed, turning to see Seth standing at the door. He stared at his son and new niece and I noticed small dark circles under his eyes. He seemed to have this look to him. Like...I couldn't explain.

He leaned on the doorframe, his hands in his pockets. He glanced down then at me. I smiled and motioned for him to come in closer. He gave me a weak, tired smile and shook his head.

_It's okay_, he mouthed.

"Hold your niece, Seth," I said flatly.

"No, really."

"Hold her. _Please_?" I pouted and he rolled his eyes.

"Okay."

"Dad, it's Ettie!" Keithy exclaimed, looking up. I took her from him and gave her to Seth who just stared at her, his face kind of scrunching up.

Hm. He looked like Keithy.

He took in a huge breath and let it out. It sounded shaky and I looked down.

"She...Looks like you," he finally said. "Blonde hair, though. That's different. But pretty." He nodded. "Yeah. Pretty." Then he planted a kiss on her forehead, letting it linger for a little. He moved away and moved the collar of her dress down. I saw his mouth tug upwards in a small smile and then he handed her back to me. "She's tiny."

"Well, duh," I rolled my eyes and positioned her comfortably in the crook of my arms. Keithy moved to sit on his knees so that he could get a better view of his cousin.

"When she gets my number, can she play with me?" he asked.

"Yeah. If she wants to, Keithy," I answered. I smiled at my baby girl and cuddled her closer. Her mouth opened up in a yawn and she opened her eyes.

"She's awake now! See! Her eyes are opened!" Keithy exclaimed. "Hi, Ettie!" he waved. Estrella blinked a few times and yawned again, stretching her little arms over her head.

"Maybe we'll have better luck with her now," I said, looking at Sam. "You...Wanna' hold her?"

"Yeah. Yeah, sure." He walked towards the bed and I placed her in his arms with a smile. Emily appeared at his side, looking down at Estrella with a smile on her face. Sam smiled, too, and brushed her cheek with his thumb.

I glanced at Seth again, who was now texting vigorously on his phone. He let out a small sigh and looked up, catching my eye.

"Hey, guys, can I have a little time alone with my brother please?" I asked. Sam handed Estrella back to me and nodded.

"Let's go guys," he said. Seth looked at Embry and they exchanged a silent conversation before we were the only ones left in the room. Keithy sat down at the window and looked out, occasionally waving at people.

I set Estrella down in her bassinette and then returned my attention to Seth.

"Something's wrong with you," I said flatly.

"When is there _not _something wrong with me?" he leaned on the wall, crossing his arms over his chest. I looked up; something I did when he was starting to annoy me.

"No, I mean...I can see it in your face. And the way you're carrying yourself," I explained quietly. He looked at his son for a few seconds before squeezing his eyes shut and then turning back to me.

"I guess...It's all getting to me now," he whispered. I frowned and moved over in the bed, patting the space next to me. He pushed himself off the wall and sat down.

It wasn't my real room, but it was close to it.

I moved so that I was laying my head on his lap, looking up at his face. This was the way we used to sit in my room on Friday nights. Those nights, we'd raid the kitchen and take out anything and everything edible and hang out in my room. I'd usually get comfortable this way, and he'd sit with his back against my pillows. We'd talk, laugh, watch a little TV, and just be, well...Brother and sister.

"Talk to me," I said, looking up at him. He laughed once - soft, and barely noticeable - when he glanced down at me. I smiled and sat up again, laying on his shoulder. "What do you mean?" He took in a deep breath and sighed.

"Like..." He groaned. "Back when she passed-" he said that part quietly. "-Some part of me knew she was gone, and it excepted it. But then...When I left, it was like she was never there. Especially when Matt found me. And then I come back, and I realized that she actually wasn't here. She was actually gone. Yet somehow...I felt like..." He sighed again. "It's hard to explain, Leah. I can't explain it. But I do know that I'm back to square one. I haven't gotten over her yet. I'm _far from it_. Leah...I'm still in love with her." I moved my eyes up to look at his face, but he was looking at the ceiling.

I sat up and looked at the baby in the bassinette.

I knew how he felt. There was a part of me that still loved Travis, too. It was overwhelming at times, especially now that our daughter was here. But Precious' passing was still pretty recent; only four months ago. Seth was bound to feel some grief.

"I can't stop thinking about her. And when I look at Keithy..." he glanced at his son and his face scrunched up. My nephew waved out the window again, a huge smile on his face. "...I see her every day. In his face. And it makes me forget for a while. But then when I got to bed..." He grimaced and looked away. "I get in on my side, and I roll over...She's not there." I placed a hand on his shoulder but he yanked it away. "I don't want pity anymore. I just..." His eyes narrowed at the door. "Can you watch Keithy for me? Take care of him, 'kay?" He slid off my bed and kissed the top of his son's head. Without another word, he left.

Confused, I stared at the door with a frown.

Carlisle came in and smiled.

"You're free to go, Leah." He cocked his head. "Anything wrong?"

"N-no. Thanks, Carlisle."

Jacob's P.o.V.

For the first time in years...

I was going back.

And I'm scared. At what I'd do. At would happen.

Carrying a bouquet of roses, I made my way slowly down the path. Past the pond...To the old weeping willow...

And there it was. It was still the way I remembered it. And her name was carved on it and her years.

I crouched down and put the flowers right in front, fixing them so they'd look nice. I sat back and cocked my head.

I'd expected tears. I'd expected some sobbing. But there was none.

"Hey, m..." I could say it. My voice broke and I sucked in a breath and let it out. But no matter what I did, that lump in my throat still stayed. It made it hard to swallow - hard to speak. "I know I haven't been to visit in a while-" no dip, Sherlock. I stood up and placed my hands in my pockets, turning to look out at the other headstones. "-but I'm here. I...Uh..." I scratched the back of my head. "I brought your favorite flowers." I shrugged. "From Creations. Your favorite shop, right?" I laughed once and rubbed my neck. I took in a deep breath and started talking; as if she was actually here.

And it got easier. I talked about Dad, and Rachel. And Rebecca, too, even though I hadn't talked to her since last Tuesday. She was in Virginia now, expecting her second child with her husband. I've only seen my other nephew once, and that was probably two years ago when he'd first been born.

"...Maybe they'll come down for Christmas this year. Hm. Funny how I'm already thinking about the holidays, six months before the season starts. It's just...The best time of the year for me, I guess."

I talked about the Pack, and what had been going on. How we'd broken the treaty with the Cullens and were slowly getting used to having them as 'friends.'

"Out of all of them, the pixie one, Alice, is my favorite. Her personality reminds me of yours; bubbly and perky all the time. Actually, it's kind of tiring watching her. I actually have to go take a nap after I see her." I laughed once and sighed.

"Well...I gotta' go now. But I like talking to you. 'Cause I haven't talked to you in a long time, I guess. But I promise I'll be back again." I started back down the path then stopped and turned around. I'd almost forgot. "Happy birthday...M-mom." I stayed there for a little while longer, my eyes fixed to her headstone. Then I went back down the path towards my car.

I had to get back to the school. Lunch was already out and my class was probably waiting for me.

Driving down the road, I frowned when I saw Seth in his own car. He was outside of someone's house, talking to a girl with long black hair. She was smiling in a flirty way and Seth was gazing at the sky, his facial expression looked hurt. I almost stopped.

Almost.

But I drove on, because my class was waiting for me. And if I didn't make it to class now, that meant no paycheck at the end of the week.

Leah's P.o.V.

I didn't feel like getting Mom off of work to pick me up, so I called up Alice. Rosalie was still on her holiday with Emmett so she was out of the question. Besides, Alice had the best car, anyway.

"I have Keithy, too," I said. I had Estrella's baby carrier in the crook of my right arm; my huge bag in my other hand.

"Alright. I have enough room. My baby boy can sit in the front with me." She pinched Keithy's cheeks and he laughed before turning a little red. Alice smiled and skipped out of the lobby, taking the carrier from me and placing it carefully in her car. I got in on the other side and buckled my seatbelt, smiling at my daughter.

"You two alright back there?" Alice asked once we had gotten onto the road. I nodded, still smiling at Estrella.

"Yeah. We're fine." She had her little hand wrapped tightly around my pinky finger, her eyes open and staring up at mine. I bit my lip to keep from crying; I'd been doing that a lot for the past few weeks since she'd been here.

I couldn't help but remember him. His laugh. His smile. His face. She looked just like him. Had my nose, though.

I felt something fall off the end of my nose, but I smiled through it. I brushed her angelic blonde curls back, sighing when I felt how soft it was.

Tears started coming faster then, because of how much she reminded me of him.

"Leah, we're home!" Alice announced, a huge smile on her face.

"Oh," I simply answered. I took in a shaky breath and wiped away some tears, getting out and then going to the other side. I took Estrella out and shut Alice's door. She waved to me.

"Bye, Leah! I'll call you later, alright?" she waved again and drove off. Keithy ran up the front stairs shouting Mom's name.

"Gramma Sue! Gramma Sue!" he yelled. I made my way up slowly after him, pushing the door open and mustering up the best smile I could for Mom, Old Quil, and Billy at the table.

"Hey," I waved once and shut the door behind me. Mom shot up and grabbed the carrier from me.

"Sit down, Leah. Do you want something to drink? Water? Tea?" she asked. She led me to the couch and pushed me onto it. I knitted my brows together and stood back up.

"Bring that baby over here; let me get a good look at her," Old Quil said. Mom set the carrier on the table and pushed down the cover. "My, she's beautiful." Billy smiled at me then at Estrella. "She got a name?"

"Estrella Pearl," I answered, going over to her. I bit my lip again, to keep from crying. I don't know why; but it seemed like that had been all I was doing these past few weeks.

After a few seconds of deliberation, I took Estrella out of her carrier and started down the hallway.

"I'm...Going to be back here," I said. "Put her down." Mom nodded and moved the carrier from the table, smiling and continuing on to a conversation about grandchildren.

As soon as my foot was inside the baby's room, I hurried in and shut the door. I sat down in the rocking chair and cradled my daughter close to me.

I cried because now everything was so real.

Estrella was here. But Travis wasn't. She'd never know her dad. He'd never know his daughter.

I cried because I didn't know what to do.

I had help from Carlisle and the other nurses for a few days after she was released from the NICU. Other than that, she had been attached to needles in intensive care; other women feeding her and bathing her. I was scared to be on my own with her. I didn't know if I'd drop her...Or hurt her...Or if she cried, I didn't know what to do to get her to stop.

And I cried because in a few years, I'd have to give her away to an assassin.

This made me cry harder. And then...

I felt hate towards Travis. Yeah. I hated him. I hated him so much.

It was _his _fault that he'd been a part of that. _His _fault that I fell in love with him. If he wasn't so charming and sweet in the first place, I wouldn't have fell for him. But I did.

And now our daughter was going to have to be a part of it. It was my fault. My fault that I had agreed.

_But if you didn't agree, everyone you love would be dead._

...

Touché.

But that wasn't the point. Now I hated myself. I hated myself for coming back here in the first place. It was the most obvious place that they'd look.

And if I left, they'd find me. You know why?

Claude had my scent.

I left the stupid red dress in the apartment when I ran back here. He knows my scent. He could find me anywhere.

I'm stupid. I don't deserve to be Estrella's mother. I _signed _her off to one of the most dangerous people on this earth.

Okay, so not really _signed _but I agreed to it.

I sniffed a few times and then I heard a knock on the door.

I wiped my tears away and looked out the window.

"Come in."

"Aunty Leah?"

"Yeah, Keithy?"

"I brought you some orange juice. I filled the cup all by myself, see?" He held out the glass to me and I smiled before taking it. "I made some for Ettie, too, but Gramma Sue said that she's not old enough ta' drink juice." He smiled at me.

"Aww, thank you, sweetie."

"I'm gonna' leave now. Embry said that he's gonna' take me on a hike t'day. While my dad's workin'. Bye, Aunty Leah!" He waved and hurried out of the room, closing the door behind him. I sat silently, listening to Mom's voice laugh as Embry talked about something. He called a 'see you later' then I heard the front door shut.

I watched out the window as my nephew and my friend headed into the woods, Keithy on Embry's shoulders.

After that brief moment of bliss, I looked back down at Estrella. She was sleeping now; she looked so precious.

I made a vow at that moment. I'd take care of her the best I could. Wherever I went, she'd be with me. I loved her, and I'd let her know it every second of the day. I'd never _once _mention her father. She didn't need to know. She didn't need to know about the man that had gotten me into this trouble in the first place.

"My Star Pearl, you're going to grow. To bigger and better things. I love you." I kissed her forehead and sniffed again.

It'd kill me when she had to leave. And I know that she'll probably hate me after that. But no matter _what _I'd always love her. Through everything.

Maybe, one day, she'd understand that.

Seth's P.o.V.

Matt snorted a laugh and traced a circle on my chest, moving closer to me as we walked down the street.

"You need me to-"

"Matt." I stopped walking once we got close to the woods and turned to her.

"Ooh. We gonna' rustle the leaves up a little bit?" she asked seductively. She traced her hand across my cheek and I pulled it away, holding both of them down.

"Matt." I stared at her. She cocked her head, smiled, and raised an eyebrow before looking up at my head.

"You don't have the beanie. Did you lose it?"

"_Mathai_." The smile faded. I rarely _ever _used her real name. It was only when I was being serious.

"What?"

"We can't do this anymore. _I _can't do this anymore." Matt just stared at me.

"What are you saying?"

"I'm _saying _that we need to end this. But...Maybe...We can still be friends," I said. "With_out _benefits."

"I said that I'd wait for you. Wait for you to love me back. Now you're saying that you just...Don't?"

"...Mhm. I don't. I can't. No matter how hard I try. I hate to say it, but you were the rebound, Matt. And I'm only just now realizing it." Suddenly she was against me, pressing her lips hard against mine. I pushed her back, holding her arms length away from me. "Damn it, Mathai!" I shook her. "Get it in your head. I don't _love _you!"

"Quit it! Stop saying that! You need to!" She pushed against my arms and kissed me again. I pushed her off, hard enough that she was on the ground. She sat up and stared at me, her eyes squinted. She scrunched up her face and her hands flew to the sides of her head. "Seth..."

"I'm sorry."

"You're not! No you're _not_. If you were sorry, this wouldn't be happening to me right now!" she yanked hard on her black tresses. Her cheeks were red and her eyes looked glossy. She shot up and clenched her fists. "Now I regret ever coming here. And it wouldn't make sense to tell my aunt to move away because she's already fallen in love with the place. So now every time I look out the window, I gotta be remembered by something that I can't have."

"Matt-"

"No. You can't love me? Fine. Why don't you go love your dead _girlfriend _and your kid. I don't want to ever see you again." And then she started crying. Her face lost its hardness and it became something I'd never seen before.

She was heartbroken. Sad.

Mathai turned on her heel and headed back to her house.

"Matt...Mathai!" I called after her. She didn't respond and I sighed. I watched her until she disappeared around the turn and then made my way down the other side of the street.

I felt really bad. Not in a guilty way, but in a pitiful way. She'd really l..._L_...

Why was that hard to say?

L..._L_...

Okay. She'd really liked me. A lot. And I let her like me. I led her on.

Maybe that's why she had cried. Maybe that's why she had tried to change my mind.

I licked my lips. They felt strangely cold. Like I had marinated them in a bucket of ice water.

Stopping at First Beach, I crouched down, resting for a little. I picked up some sand and let it fall from my hands, loving the way it felt between my fingers.

I looked up and saw her. Precious. My Precious-baby.

She was in shorts and a hoodie, running in the water. She was laughing and screaming and then I appeared, picking her up and throwing her over my shoulder. I was laughing, too. And then I set her down and kissed her. A wave covered us and then we were gone, the laughter fading with it.

I stood, picking up a rock. I squeezed it tight then threw it into the water as hard as I could.

I couldn't get her out of my head lately. Everywhere I looked, she appeared. And there was a memory that came with it. Those memories cut deep into my body. It reminded me of something that I'd lost.

"Hey, kid." I froze when I heard Sam's voice then turned. "I saw what happened. You okay?"

"You were _eavesdropping _on me? Or is that what you called 'babysitting Seth to make sure he doesn't get into any more trouble?'" I scowled at him. He just smiled and looked at the ocean.

"How are you? We haven't talked in a while." I stared blankly at him.

_Really_?

He looked at me again, raising his eyebrows for an explanation.

"Just peachy," I finally answered.

"I saw your moment with your new niece today. You choked up a little."

"Sue me."

"Seth, really. What's with you?"

"Dunno. Everything?"

"No, no. You never used to be this...I don't know. Before, you were so happy. So-"

"Mhm," I cut him off and crossed my arms. "Yeah."

"And I guess...Losing Precious didn't help at all, either."

"Not a bit." I rolled my eyes, not wanting to think anymore about this. "I see her everywhere," I blurted out. My eyes widened. Had I _really _just said that?

"Okay...?" Sam looked at me again and I sighed. I really did set myself up for this one. Now I just gotta continue...

"When I go places, I see her. At the grocery store, she's pushing a cart. At home, she's curled up on the couch with a book. And here..." I gestured towards the ocean with my arm then let it fall to my side. "She's running around in the water with that smile on her face and I'm chasing after her." I crossed my arms again. I tucked my chin into my chest then rolled my neck around. "Okay. I'm done with this Dr. Phil crap. I'm gonna' go get my son. I'll catch you at patrol, or something." I walked away.

"Seth, wait." I stopped, not bothering to face him.

"Don't push those memories away. Relive them." I continued walking.

Whatever you say, Almighty Alpha.

**Yay! There it is! So you know what to do, guys! Review, please! Mmm...I think that's it...Oh. And don't worry. The Leah-Estrella-Claude thing will continue on!**

**~SashaFierce12.0**


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